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THE ART OF 

BaTTIHIJ A|JD Ba^E I(Ufflffl[{ 

CONTAINING INSTRUCTIVE CHAPTERS ON 

SCIENTIFIC BATTING, PLACING THE BALL, BASE HITS 
AND EARNED RUNS, THE RIGHT FORM FOR HITTING, 
PLAYING POINTS ON THE PITCHER, THE PROPER 
SWING OF THE BAT, FACING FOR POSITION, 
THE CORRECT POSITION IN BATTING, THE 
TRUE CRITERION OF EFFECTIVE HIT- 
TING, SACRIFICE HITTING, WITH 
NEW BATTLVG RULES FOR iS86. 



TO WHICH IS ADDED 



'HE ART OF BISE RUNNING 



TOGETHER WITH 



INTS ON PLAYING POINTS IN THE GAME— HOW 
TO MANAGE A TEAM— HOW TO 
CAPTAIN A NINE, Etc. 



ILLUSTRATED BY 

GEO. H. BEIS^EDICT. /^N^^^^ 

MAY 1 ]m. 



(Copyrighted.) V q, ) ' "^ ' ^ ;' ' I 






PUBLISHED BY 

A. G. Spalding & Bros., 

^41 BROADWAY, 1Q8 MADISON ST. 

HEW YORK, •,,.., CHICAGO. 






PREFACE. 



This revised work on Batting and Base Running 
will be found to be greatly improved over the sepa- 
rate books on the same subject of 1885. Especially 
is this the case in regard to the additions made to it in 
the form of the new features of the best batting aver- 
ages, and in hints on " The Points of the Game," and 
on the management of professional club teams. The 
two books, Nos. 3 and 4, which include Pitching, 
Fielding, Batting and Base Running, in fact, form a 
little library of instructive chapters on every point in 
base ball, useful as well as interesting to every player, 
whether professional or amateur. 



■K-: 




ROGER CONNOR, 

CHAMPION LEAGUE BATTER OF 1SS5. 

Rog'er Connor hails froin W.iterbury, Conn., and he first played with 
the Monitors of that city in 1S76. He joined the NeW York club in 1SS3, 
and he has been in that club ever since. His play at first base in the 
New York nine has been up to the hig-hest mark, while as a heavy hitter at 
the bat he has no superior. His honorable conduct on and ofiE the field 
makes him a valuable member of New York's League team. 



INTRODUCTION. 



A noteworthy feature of the improvement which 
has taken place in the general playing of the game of 
base ball, has been the marked difference in the ad- 
vance made in the fielding department compared to 
that of the batting. In the progress of education in 
the knowledge of what may be termed the "science 
of the game," the art of batting has greatly lagged 
behind that of fielding ; and one reason for this has 
been the fact that but little attention has been paid to 
the study of the theory of skillful batting, while 
improvement in fielding has been forced on the pro- 
fessional class by the fact that the great mass of the 
patrons of the game, while knowing little or nothing 
about scientific batting, can fully appreciate the beauty 
of skillful exhibitions in the field ; and hence an im- 
petus has been given to a spirit of rivalry in fielding 
excellence, while in regard to batting the incorrect 
data on which the annual statistics of average play at 
the bat are made up, and the premium which is 
offered to " record playing " at the bat by the injudi- 
cious method of scoring the game, and the promi- 
nence given to batsmen in the line of heavy hitting, 
has had the effect of retarding the progress of the tru§ 
art of skillfully handling the ash. 
(4) 



INTRODUCTIONo 



Up to within the past year or two a great deal of 
the batting done in the professional arena was but 
little, if any, in advance of that which characterized 
the prominent clubs of over a dozen years ago. One 
cause of this failure to improve batting as rapidly as 
fielding has been, has been the reluctance shown by 
the professionals to studying up the subject of how to 
handle the bat properly. For years past the majority 
of players have gone to the bat possessed either of 
bad habits in their manner of holding and swinging 
the bat, or lacking in knowledge of how to use their 
bats with the best effect, even if they did stand in a 
correct position and hold their bats properly. As a 
general thing, they have taken their stand at the bat 
with no fixed rule of action, but simply on the princi- 
ple of going in for general results, as it were, trusting 
to what is called "luck." One player's idea is to hit 
as hard as he can at the first ball that comes within 
his reach. Another's is to wait for a particular kind 
of ball, a pet of his, and then hit it as if his sole object 
was "to knock the stuffing out of it." This kind of 
batting is especially characteristic of " hard hitters" 
or home-run-hitters — men who think that the end 
and aim of a batsman is to make home-runs. This 
class of batsmen average a home-run hit to about 
every three or four "outs from poorly-hit balls. Of 
course, keen sight and muscular strength are essentials 
in batting skill, but judgment and its practical exem- 
plification in strategic play are even more important. 
The batsman who can be most relied upon for a 



6 INTRODUCTION. 

single-base hit is worth two of your home-run class of 
hitters. The former is the man to win in the long 
run, though the latter may excel in cutting a dash or 
making a showy splurge in odd games. 

In the science of batting there are certain rules, the 
neglect of which must prove damaging to the bats- 
man's general play. First comes the rule which 
requires that he should "stand at ease" when he 
takes his position at the bat ; that is, to stand so as to 
be able to swing his bat to meet the ball with the 
easiest movement at command. Then there comes the 
rule governing the proper method of swinging the 
bat forward to meet the ball ; in this latter the man- 
ner In which he stands has an important bearing. 
The proper poising of the bat preliminary to making 
the forward swing in striking, too, is an important 
matter. But the one thing in the science of batting 
which has, up to within a year or two past, been but 
little understood, or, if understood, has been sadly 
neglected, is the rule governing what is technically 
called '•'-facing for position'''' — that is, taking your 
stand at the bat in such a manner as to lead to the 
control of the regular swing of the bat, causing it to 
meet the ball so as to send It in the direction of either 
one or the other of the three outfield positions of the 
field, viz.. The right, center, or left field. More atten. 
tlon has been paid to this by the more intelligent class 
of professionals of late than ever before, and the result 
has been, to that extent, Improvement in batting* 
But, as a general thing, chance hitting has been too 



INTRODUCTION. 7 

much in vogue for any marked progress in scientific 
batting. This, and the paying of too much attention 
to the playing for a record — tlie record in question 
being one which gives no criterion of skillful play at 
the bat whatever — have been the principal drawbacks 
to a relative advance in the practical knowledge of 
the true art of batting, in comparison to that which 
has characterized the fielding in the game. 

A great inducement held out to the class of heavy 
hitters is the prominence given by base ball writers 
of the sporting papers, and in the columns of the 
dailies which give space to reports of the doings of 
the fraternity in the field, to total base hits. Some of 
these papers not only enlarge the scores with details 
of two and three base hits and home runs, but they 
give special prominence in their introductions to the 
scores, to the batsmen who excel in making " two 
baggers," and " three baggers," while they add a spec- 
ial point of praise to the batsman who scores a home- 
run, no matter whether the player who makes it has 
to tire himself out with a 120 yards "spurt," at his 
utmost speed, to gain a single run, or to bring in one 
or two base running companions. The practical effect 
of all this is to destroy a batsman's ambition to excel as 
a "team player" in batting, and to drive him into play- 
ing solely for a high average record of total bases. 
We hope to show in the following chapters that 
scientific batting is the basis of successful team work 
in handling the ash, and that the batsman who can 
the most easily earn a single base, and who is willing 



8 THE ART OF BATTING. 

to sacrifice his record of total bases and a high aver- 
age in faulty statistics in order to bring in a needed 
run, does work in batting in "playing for the side" 
worth all that the most brilliant heavy hitting bats- 
men ever accomplished. 

THE ART OF BATTING. 

In no department of the game are more facilities 
offered for strategic play than in batting; but it re- 
quires an intelligent player to engage in it success- 
fully. The batsman who would be invariably success- 
ful must resort to strategy, for if he depends solely 
upon a quick eye and a strong arm he will fail. These 
are very excellent as aids, but a comparatively poor 
dependence to place your trust in altogether. The 
batsman, when he takes his bat in hand, finds opposed 
to him nine men, and though to the casual observer it 
may seem a very easy undertaking to bat a ball out 
of the reach of only nine men, cov^ering as large a 
space as a four or five acre field; yet when you come 
to face nine experienced and active fielders, you will 
soon be taught to realize the fact that "headwork" is 
as important an element of success in batting as it is 
in pitching; and you will then see that to earn bases 
on hits, and thereby to score runs, you will have to 
play "points" pretty successfully. 

From the moment the batsman takes his stand at 
the bat, to the time he strikes a fair ball, he should 
stand in proper form for hitting at every ball, or he 
will be sure to be caught napping by a skillful 



THE ART OF BATTING. 9 

pitcher, and find himself retiring from a tip, a poorly 
hit ball, or from called strikes, instead of taking a 
well earned base. This proper form for a hit is im- 
portant. It is fatiguing, of course, to stand still and 
keep prepared for hitting, while ball after ball is sent 
in out of reach; but it must be done in order to secure 
chances for hitting the ball you want when it does 
come. A skillful pitcher is always on the alert to 
find the batsman "out of form," and not prepared to 
hit, and the moment he sees him thus standing "on 
the loose," he is sure to send him a good ball, and 
the batsman either strikes at it hastily or lets it go by 
him, only to see the ball fielded easily, or a strike 
called on him. The batsman is only in proper form 
for a good hit when he stands squarely on his feet, 
with the bat grasped firmly about six or eight inches 
from the end of the handle, and with the point of the 
bat partly resting over the shoulder. He should 
never hold it horizontally, and especially should he 
avoid pointing it toward the pitcher. In fact, the 
only way in which he can swing it so as to meet 
the ball at the proper angle is to bring it down from 
the shoulder; he then brings the weight of the bat as 
well as the power of his arms and wrists, to bear 
upon the stroke. In standing ready, prepared to 
meet the ball, his right foot should be firmly placed 
on the ground as a pivot foot, leaving his left foot 
loosely touching the ground ready for a springy for- 
ward step to give direction to the hit, as an addi- 
tional impetus to the stroke. 



lO THE ART OF BATTING. 



THE FORWARD SWING OF THE BAT. 

The batsman who would excel in scientific hitting 
must study up well the tlieory of the art. It is one 
thing to take up the bat and "slug" away with all 
the force at your command at the ball, with the 
single idea of hitting the ball as far out in the field as 
you can; but it is quite another thing to take your 
stand, bat in hand, well posted in all the points in 
batting, and ready to match strategic skill in hand- 
ling the ash against strategic pitching, point for 
point, and with a special object in view in making 
every hit. There are many points to Icnrn before a 
batsman can arrive at any marked degree of skill in 
hitting. First, he should learn the bearings of the 
natural swing of the bat in meeting the ball, and the 
different effect of a swift and a slow stroke in form- 
ing these bearings. Measuring the semi-circular line 
of the swing of the bat from its position as it is 
held over the shoulder, to the point of its meeting 
the ball, it will be seen that the swiftness of the 
stroke has a great deal to do with giving direction 
to the ball. A slow stroke will meet the ball back 
of the base; a medium stroke will meet it on the 
line of the base, and a quick stroke in front of it. 
The lines of these strokes are shown in the follow- 
ing diagram. 

The slow stroke would send the ball toward the 
right field; the medium stroke toward the center, 



THE ART OP BATTING. 



II 




and the quick stroke to the left. So much for the 
lines of the forward swing of the bat against the ordi- 
nary si^eed of the delivery of the ball to the bat. 
In addition, however, the varying speed of the jDitched 
ball has to be taken into consideration, inasmuch as a 
slow pitched ball would meet the slow stroke on the 
line of the base instead of back of it; while a very 
swiftly pitched ball would meet the swift stroke in 
the same place, instead of in front of the base. The 
pace of the ball, therefore, has to be taken into the 
calculation in estimating the force of the forward 
swing of the bat in giving the ball any special direc- 
tion. 



FACING FOR POSITION. 

One thing in the science of batting which has only 
of late years been understood, is the rule governing 



12 THE ART OF BATTING. 




what Is technically called "facing for position" — that 
is, taking your stand at the bat in such a manner as 
to lead to the control of the regular swing of the bat, 
causing it to meet the ball so as to send it in the direc- 
tion of either one or the other of the three out-field 
positions of the field, viz: The right, center, or left 
field. This "facing for position" is a subject calling 
for some study of the rules which govern it. Just as 
a man stands at the bat, just so will the regular or 
forward swing of the bat meet the ball, all things, of 
course, being equal, viz., the rapidity of the forward 
swing being in proportion to the speed of the deliv- 
ered ball. But the general direction of the ball, from 
a regular and proportioned swing of the bat, is gov- 
erned by the manner in which the batsman stands 
when prepared to strike at the ball — that is, in pro- 
portion as he "faces" for the right, the center or the 
left. As a general rule, in order to send a ball to the 
right he should face almost as if the first baseman 
was going to pitch the ball to him, and not the pitcher. 



THE ART OF BATTING. 1$ 

The three iri-fielders, therefore, to face any one of 
whom the batsman should stand when about to strike 
at the ball, are the first-baseman, the pitcher and the 
third-baseman, just as he desires to send the ball in the 
direction of the right, the center, or the left field. 
We have frequently seen important batting points 
lost in a match, owing to the failure of the batsman to 
properly face for position. Take, for instance, the 
position of a game when a runner is on third base, 
with but one man out, and the batsman goes to the 
bat. Without regarding anything but his making a 
long hit to the outer field, he takes his position so 
that the regular forward swing of the bat will cause 
it to meet the ball either at the line of the home base 
or in front of it, and the result is that the ball is hit 
either to pitcher, second baseman or short-stop, there- 
by preventing the runner from going home from 
third, even if the striker be not put out. Now, had 
the batting point in this case been properly played, 
the batsman would have taken up his position so as to 
have faced for right field, thereby almost insuring the 
ball's being hit in that direction, in which case the 
runner would have been enabled to score his run, 
even if the batsman had sacrificed himself by his hit. 
This is but one phase of the rule governing facing for 
position in batting, but it suffices to show the impor- 
tance of the subject. 

When a hit to left field is desired the batsman takes 
his stand as if the short-stop in his regular position 
was about to pitch the ball to him, and this brings the 



H 



THE ART OF BATTING. 



regular forward swing of the bat so as to meet the 
ball in front of the home base, the diagram showing 
the lines of the forward swing of the bat, and also 
that of the direction given the ball as follows: 




FACING FOR LEFT FIELD. 



The batsman when about to hit to center field, or 
to the pitcher, should stand in the ordinary position, 
the lines of which are shown in the appended dia- 
gram. 



THE ART OF BATTING. 



^5 




FACING FOR CENTER FIELD. 



For right field hitting the batsman should face the 
first baseman, in which case the swing of the bat 
would meet the ball and send it in the direction shown 
in the appended diagram. 

If the batsman is a quick hitter he should invariably 
face for right field hitting if the pitching is fast, but if 



i6 



THE ART OF BATTING. 




FACING FOR RIGHT FIELD. 



medium paced he would do better to fnce the pitcher 
or short-stop. 

The dotted lines show not only the position of the 
bat when the swing is made, but also the direction of 
the forward swing, and of the ball as it leaves the 
bat. 



THE ART OF BATTING. 



17 



High balls are the best to hit at when facing for 
right field when the pitching is swift; a slight stroke 
from the bat will frequently send it safe out of reach 
of the in-fielders, and yet not far enough out for the 
right fielder to catch. 

A close study of the various forces governing the 
swing of the bat in meeting the ball, and of the rules 
applicable to "facing for position," will fully prepare 
the batsman for taking his stand at the bat ready for 
active service. 




l8 THE ART OF BATTING. 

THE POSITION IN BATTING. 

The position taken by the batsman when he takes 
his stand at the bat, has a great deal to do with his 
success or failure in hitting. When once a batsman 
gets into a bad habit, either in his manner of holding 
the bat, or in the way he stands, it is difficult to get 
out of it, and it always interferes with his success as 
an effective batsman. Many players are accustomed 
to hold their bats directly in front of them, and pointed 
toward the pitcher. This necessitates the withdrawal 
of the bat previous to swinging it forward to meet the 
ball, thereby making two movements of the bat 
instead of one, and, of course, marring the aim in 
striking. This bad position is illustrated in the cut 
on preceding page. 

The appended cut shows a correct position in stand- 
ing ready for an effective hit. It is that of the late 
Gen. Thos. S. Dakin, the old pitcher of the Putnam 
Club of Brooklyn of i860. 

Confidence is everything in batting, and you can 
never feel confidence in your ability to bat well unless 
you are accustomed to a regular position both in 
standing ready to strike, and in properly holding your 
bat so as to use it with the best effect. It is hardly 
possible for a batsman who is accustomed to strike 
in what may be called bad form, to hit the ball so as 
to "place it" where he wants to, because to do this 
the bat must be swung forward with an accuracy of 
aim which a bad method of holding it renders scarcely 



THE ART OF BATTING. 



19 




STANDING IN GOOD FORM. 



possible. The correct position for a batsman is to 
stand well on his right foot, having his left foot touch- 
ing the ground lightly, thereby making his right the 
pivot foot. By this means he v^ill gain a body sw^ing 
to give additional force to the swing of his arms in 
batting. In holding the bat he should keep it poised 



30 



THE ART OF BATTING. 



SO as to have it ready for the regular forward swing, 
as shown In the appended cut. 




George Wright holds the bat a little further back 
over the shoulder than the General did. The impor- 
tant point is to get the best balance of the bat so that 
iits weight should not trouble the wrists too much. 



THE ART OF BATTING. 21 

From the moment the batsman takes his stand at 
the bat, to the time he hits a fair ball, he should 
stand in proper form for hitting every single ball 
pitched to him. Unless he makes this a habit, he 
will surely be found a ready victim, to a more or less 
extent, for a skilful, strategic pitcher. The rule, with 
a good batsman, is always to be in form all the while 
he is at the bat. This is specially necessary to meet 
the uncertainties of a curved line deliverv. How 
often do we see batsmen go to the bat, one after the 
other, and as they take their stand, get into fair form 
for the first two or three balls, and then, on finding 
that the pitcher's delivery is rather wild, stand at ease, 
as it were, quite unprepared to hit in proper form, 
only to see the ball come in over the base, and at the 
height indicated, while they either fail to strike at it 
or miss the ball if they do, simply because they did 
not stand prepared to meet it, or, in other words, 
were not in form for batting. The moment a shrewd, 
strategic j^itcher sees a batsman standing at the bat in 
bad form, he feels sure of capturing him. On the 
other hand, it bothers the best pitchers to see the 
batsman untiring in his efforts to stand in good form 
in his position, and fully prepared to meet every ball 
pitched to him. This "proper form" for hitting 
every ball is, of course, fatiguing to the batsman, 
when the pitching is at all wild, but it must be kept 
up in order to secure chances for hitting the ball 
when it comes within fair reach of the bat. 

A point to play on the pitcher in connection with 



^2 THE ART OP BATTING. 

this standing in good form, is to pretend to stand at 
the bat as if tired of waiting for a good ball, and 
yet to be on the alert to meet a quickly pitched ball 
sent In to catch you napping while you are apparently 
out of form for good hitting. Another good point to 
play on the pitcher is to deceive him in regard to 
your facing for position. Suppose, for instance, that 
when you take your position at the bat you "face" 
for a hit to first base? The pitcher or catcher, seeing 
this, will signal the first baseman to play up closer to 
his base; to the second baseman to go to right short, 
and to the right fielder to " come in a little." Now, 
suppose again, that while " facing" for the hit in 
question you so time the swing of the bat as to meet 
the ball considerably forvvard of the base, instead of 
hitting it to the part of the field your opponents had 
been led to expect you would by the manner in which 
you " fiiced for the hit," the result will be a safe hit 
to an unguarded quarter, and a pretty display of skilful 
l)atting. But this strategic play is anything but easy 
of accomplishment; a thorough command of the bat, 
considerable experience, and a quick eye being neces- 
sary. 

FIRST BASE HITS. 

Base hits are the chief criterion of efl^ective batting, 
and ea7'7ied 7'uns off the pitching are the reward of 
such hitting. Just here comes the pertinent queries 
of what constitutes a " base hit," and what is an earned 
run ? With all due regard for the capabilities of the 



THE ART OP BATTING. 2^ 

many intelligent and competent scorers who have 
had to decide upon the questions of base-hits scored 
and runs earned during the base-ball campaign of 
1885 it is a fact well known that the majority are so 
involuntarily biased by their connection with the 
clubs for which they score, that scarcely any two can 
be found who are in full accord in their views on the 
subject of base-hits and earned runs. When "doctors 
disagree," an outside individual, who is removed from 
party bias, must step in and decide the disputed point 
— as we propose to do in this article on base-hits and 
earned runs. In rendering a decision likely to govern 
the matter, we shall be guided, ns hitherto, solely by 
our efforts to promote the best interests of the game in 
bringing it up to the highest standpoint of a scientific 
field-sport, and we hope again to merit that attention 
to our views which has hitherto been accorded them. 
The first question to be answered is: What is a base 
hit? and the reply to the query is that it is a hit 
which secures to the batsman his first base without 
the aid of even a doubtful error by any one fielder. 
In order to give a clear definition of the term, how- 
ever, we enumerate below the special instances in 
which base-hits are made: 

Firstly. — When a ball is hit fairly along the 
ground to any part of the field out of possible reach 
of any of the fielders. 

Secondly. — When a ball is hit fairly over the heads 
of any of the in-fielders, and so as to fall short of 
allowing any of the out-fielders a fair chance to catch it. 



24 THE ART OF BATTING. 

Thirdly. — When a high fly-ball is hit fairly over 
the heads and out of fair reach of the out-fielders. 

Fourthly. — When a ground ball is hit with such 
force from the bat as to render it almost a physical 
impossibility to stop it, or, if partially stopped, to 
grasp it in time to throw it accurately to a base- 
player. 

Fifthly. — When a line fly ball is hit with such 
force from the bat as to make it difficult even to 
partially stop it, and still more so to hold it on the 
fly. 

No one will question the fact, we think, that all of 
the above hits are base hits which clearly earn first 
base for the batsman. There is still another hit 
which earns a base at least three times out of five 
that the hit is made, and that is when a ball is hit 
fairly, but in such a manner as to roll slowly to the 
center of the triangle formed by the pitcher, striker, 
and first baseman's positions. In rei^ard to this 
last character of hit, we have to state that out of some 
thirty odd instances during a special period of play 
in which a ball has been hit in the manner described, 
we have seen but four successful eflforts made to put 
the striker out, and then it was chiefly the result of 
slow running to the first base. The difficulty atten- 
dant upon fielding such a ball is that the pitcher 
cannot well get it and throw it accurately to first base 
before the striker can reach his base, while neither 
can the first baseman run and field it and return to 
his base in time, nor can the pitcher run across to 



THE ART OF BATTING. 25 

first base and take such ball in time if fielded by the 
first baseman, even if the two j^layers should agree 
upon so fielding the ball, which they rarely do. It 
is rather an accidental hit, it is true — the result of 
hitting the ball by the bat near to the handle, thereby 
givin<^ a weak blow to the right. Nevertheless, as 
it is a hit which effectually — in a large majority of 
instances — prevents the fielder from getting the ball 
in time to throw the striker out, it cannot be recorded 
otherwise than as a base-hit. In regard to the drop- 
ping of a hard hit line ball on the fl[y, or the failure 
to field a hard hit ground ball, there will doubtless 
be some objection urged to the crediting a base hit 
for such apparently missed chance. But if any man 
will realize by practical experience the danger and 
diflSculty of stopping a hot ground-ball that has had 
a rifle-like twist imparted to it by the blow of the 
bat, or of securely holding a similarly batted fly-balls 
he will not hesitate in awarding the batsman the 
credit of a base-hit for any such ball, which the fielder 
finds it impossible to stop or to grasp in time to put 
the striker out. Of course, there are hot ground-balls 
that should be stopped and picked up in time, and 
which, if not so fielded, do not yield base-hits, as, 
also, hot-line balls, which, if not caught, give bases on 
errors. But the hits we refer to are exceptional ones; 
and when they are made, the batsmen who make 
them are entitled to the credit of base-hits. There 
are certain bounds to the ability of fielders to stop 
and catch balls, and these bounds are exceeded in 
the special cases we refer to. 



26 THE ART OF BATTING. 

WHAT ARE NOT BASE HITS. 

We now come to the next important query con- 
nected with hitting for bases, and that is: " What is 
not a base hit?" and the reply is conveyed in the 
following described instances of failures to accept 
chances for outs. 

Firstly. — No ball which is hit so as to admit of 
its being fairly caught on the fly can earn a base. 

Secondly. — No ball hit to any of the in-fielders in 
such a way as to admit of their picking it up and 
throwing it to any baseman in time to put an op- 
ponent out, can earn a base. 

Thirdly. — No ball similarly hit to any in-fielder, 
and which is picked up neatly, but thrown too high 
or too low or wide to any baseman, can earn a base. 

Fourthly. — No ball similarly hit, well picked up, 
and accurately thrown to a baseman, but which is 
muffed by the basemen, can earn a base. 

Fifthly.— No ball hit so as to give an easy op- 
portunity to any fielder for a catch can earn a base, 
if the fielder, through the failure of the captain to 
call him or through any gross carelessness in fielding, 
fails to avail himself of .the plain opportunity for 
making the catch. 

Now, there is no questioning the fact that not one 
of the above hits is such as to be claimed as a base- 
hit, or a hit that earns a base. The rule which 
prevents a base being earned by any hit that is 
marked by a fielding error has its exception, and that 



THE ART OF BATTING. 27 

exception is when the ball is sent so swiftly and 
sharply from the bat as to render it almost impossible 
for the pluckiest of fielders to stop or hold it. But 
all ordinary errors, such as dropped fly-balls, bad 
muffs, wild throws, and failures on the part of base- 
players to hold good balls thrown to them — all count 
in preventing base-hits being made. A '< hot" ball 
which is well stopped, but which, in the effort to 
grasp it, is fumbled, is in a majority of instances an 
error by the fielder, and prevents a base-hit; while 
high or line balls to the out field, which fielders run 
in for and fail to hold in their efforts to catch them 
while stooping low near the ground, cannot justly be 
regarded as errors, and in a majority of instances such 
hits earn bases. Unfortunately this degree of latitude 
in judging of base hits in doubtful cases, like the ex- 
ceptions above noted, open the door to quite a dif- 
ference in the records of official scores in match 
games, and hence the inaccuracy of so much of the 
data on which the season's averages are made out. 

EARNED RUNS. 

In regard to taking an account of runs scored by 
skilful batsmen two calculations have to be made — 
one of runs earned from opportunities offered by the 
pitcher for base-hits, and the other of runs earned 
from chances given by the fielders for successful base- 
running. Of course, no runs can be earned off the 
pitching unless by base-hits; and no runs can be 
earned by chances given for successful base-running 



28 THE ART OF BATTING. 

through such direct fielding errors as "dropped fly- 
balls," "wild throws" and "muffed" or "fumbled" 
balls; or from such "battery" errors as wild pitches, 
called balls, or passed balls. The definitions of the 
term used to designate direct fielding errors are, a 
missed catch; a muffed ball; a fumbled ball ; 07' a 
wide thro-iu ; while those used for direct battery errors 
viz : errors on which bases are run or runs scored but 
not on "lives" given, are wild pitches^ the sixth called 
ball^ and passed balls ^ a wild throw to a base by the 
catcher being as much of a direct fielding error as is 
a wild throw to a base by the pitcher. 

Any ball dropped by the fielder, fair or foul, which 
he had a chance to catch, must be recorded as a 
"missed catch." The fact of his merely touching a 
fly-ball does not necessitate the record of a miss; he 
must have had a fair chance offered him to catch the 
ball. On the other hand, the failure to touch the 
ball does not absolve him from being charged with a 
missed catch; for, if a high ball is hit which affords 
an easy chance for a catch, and the fielder, by lack of 
activity, or by a palpable error of judgment, fails to 
properly make an effort for the catch, he should be 
charged with the error. In the case of a chance for 
a catch, purposely missed in order to secure a chance 
for a double play from a "force off," no error should 
be charged unless the missed chance for the catch is 
followed by a bad throw to the base player, in which 
case the bad throw must be charged as the error. 

A fielder makes a "muflf" when in his efforts to 



THE ART OF BATTING. 29 

field a ball he only partially stops It, or fails to pick 
it up so as to throw it in time. This does not apply 
however, to cases of failures to stop or hold very 
swiftly-batted or thrown balls; but only to palpable 
errors in fi^iling to field ordinary balls from the bat. 
A base-player failing to hold a ball not thrown wide 
to him, makes a muff. But if the ball is thrown to 
him on the bound, no error is justly chargeable to him 
if he fails to hold it; while if he does hold it, all the 
more credit is due him. 

A fielder is said to "fumble" or "juggle" a baU 
when, after stopping it, he has to try two or three 
times to pick it up to throw it. It is a variation of 
the "muff," more frequently accidental than the re- 
sult of unskillful play. 

Wide or "wild" throws are made in two ways — 
first, by inaccuracy of aim and unskilful throwing; 
and secondly, by the difiiculty of stopping and pick- 
ing up a hot ball so as to throw it with comparative 
leisure. Hard hit balls to third base generally il- 
lustrate the difficulties attendant upon a good 
thrower's efforts to throw to the other bases ac- 
curately. A ball thrown over the head of a base- 
player or fielder, or to either side of him out of reach, 
or on a low bound, is a "wide throw." 

All these errors come under the head of "direct field- 
ing" errors in contra-distinction to "battery errors," 
which include only passed balls, wild pitches and 
bases on called balls. Of course no errors follow a 
wild pitch or a passed ball unless a base is run on it. 



30 



THE ART OF BATTING. 



"Wild pitches" are balls sent in out of the legitimate 
reach of the catcher, and on which a base is run. 
Passed balls are balls "muffed" or "fumbled" by the 
catcher after having been pitched to him within his 
legitimate reach, and on which a base is run. In the 
case of a very swiftly-pitched ball which the catcher 
holds on the fly but which he cannot gather himself 
in time to throw to a base to cut off a player, an 
error ought not to be charged — except, perhaps, on 
the part of the pitcher in delivering so swiftly when 
players are running bases. 

In regard to called balls, of course, only an error 
can be charged to the pitcher on the sixth called ball 
which gives the base. It is very questionable whether 
bases given on called balls should be included in the 
estimate of runs earned off the pitching. In the first 
place, the giving of a base on called balls depends too 
much upon the umpire's leniency or strictness in in- 
terpreting the rules, and it is difficult to judge fairly 
whether a base on called balls is due to the umpire's 
strictness, the pitcher's wild delivery, or his pla3nng 
a point to get out of a dangerous hitter; and, as some- 
times neither is at fault, the best way is to ignore 
called balls altogether, as something not to be used 
in estimating an earned run. While it is no discredit 
to a batsman to take a base on called balls, it certainly 
is not an act to be very proud of; and it may there- 
fore be set down as neither for nor against the earning 
of a run, and consequently we leave it out altogether. 

Runs earned from the pitcher include the following : 



THE ART OF BATTING. 3 1 

Firstly. — When four base-hits, each giving only- 
one base, are made in succession. 

Secondly, — When the striker makes a clean home- 
run. 

Thirdly, — When the first striker makes a first- 
base hit, and the second makes a three-base hit, or 
vice versa. 

Fourthly, — When the first striker makes a first- 
base hit, the second a hit which, though limiting the 
striker to first-base, enables the base-runner to get 
to third, and the third striker a simple first-base hit. 
Ordinarily three first-base hits place only three men 
on bases without scoring a run. 

Fifthly. — When the first striker makes a first-base 
hit, and the second striker is put out by a hit to the 
field which only admits of the striker being put out, 
and prevents the player, forced oflf, being put out by 
the ball being held at second, or by his being touched 
while running to second. In such case, should the 
third striker be similarly put out, thus allowing the 
base-runner to reach third, a base-hit by the fourth 
striker would yield an earned run, though only two 
first-base hits were made ; and it would be earned off 
the pitching, as it is presumed to be a point of play 
on the part of the pitcher in cases when the first 
striker makes his first base to deliver the ball so as to 
force the batsman to hit the ball to an In-fielder, in 
order that the fielder may capture the base-runner 
"forced ofif; " and if he fails to do this he is to be 



32 THE ART OF BATTING. 

charged with the style of punishment which an 
earned run gives. 

Runs earned from the field differ from those earned 
off the pitching, to the extent that sharp base-running 
comes into play as a basis of earned runs off the 
fielding, while successful base-running does not enter 
into the calculation of runs earned off the pitching 
alone. To illustrate the difl^erence, we will quote 
from actual play: 

In . the Chicago New York game at the Polo 
grounds on Sept. 25, 1884, in the fifth innings Kelly 
of the Chicago Nine led off with a safe bounder to left 
field on which he easily earned his base. Anson 
followed with a similar ball to right field, and 
Williamson followed suit with another, on the latter 
of which Kelly scored an earned run, and off the 
pitching. Williamson was then caught napping off 
first base by Ewing, and then Burns hit a ball to 
Caskins whose wild throw to Cowan at first base 
sent Burns to second base, the error also sending 
Anson home, who otherwise would have been kept 
on third base. Burns afterward reached third base 
safely, and after Pfeffer had been finely caught out 
on a foul fly by Dorgan at right field — Burns getting 
to third after the catch had been made — Flint hit a 
hot grounder to Troy earning his base and sending 
Burns home, and on Goldsmith's three base hit over 
Welch's head Flint scored the fourth run. But for 
Caskins' wild throw but one run would have been 
earned off the pitching, as only Kelly would have 



THE ART OF BATTING. 33 

scored his run from base hitting when Dorgan caught 
PfefFer out. As it was, however, sharp base running 
yielded an additional run which was earned off the 
field, while the other two additional runs were scored 
off the direct errors of the field, chiefly from Caskins' 
damaging throw. 

PLACING THE BALL. 

The highest degree of skill in scientific batting is 
reached when the batsman can " place a ball'' — sent in 
by swift curved-line pitching — in any part of the field 
he chooses. It is, however, the most difficult of all 
batting feats which a batsman can attempt. There 
are so many points to be learned so as to become 
thoroughly familiar with them, before tliis placing of 
a ball can be accomplished, that it is rarely that one 
sees this finishing touch in the art of batting exhibited. 
But when it is at command, what an immense ad- 
vantage it gives the batsman in outwitting his field- 
ing opponents, and what an aid it is in sending 
runners round from first-base to home-base. Then 
it is that the necessity for making the placing of a 
ball a feature of a batsman's work becomes plainly 
apparent. When the professional fraternity have 
gone through the " slugging" era, and the ambition 
to excel in the home-run style of batting has been 
superseded by more scientific work in handling the 
ash, the coming batsmen of the future will look back 
with surprise to think that they should, for so many 



34 THE ART OF BATTING. 

years, have neglected so valuable an adjunct of really 
effective and successful batting. To hear the general 
class of batsmen comment on the efforts made to 
place a ball in a match, one would be apt to think 
that it was something next to impossible. The fact 
is, however, the majority of batsmen are too loth to 
take the necessary pains to learn how to place a ball. 
When do you ever see a team practicing scientific 
batting, or trying to learn to place a ball ? When a 
nine takes the field for preliminary practice before 
the beginning of a match, some of them take their ac- 
customed positions in the field while two of them bat 
"fungo" balls — balls that are tossed up in the air and 
hit as they fall — to the fielders, and that is about all 
the practice they get as batsmen. In April, 1S84, we 
saw something better than this attempted on the 
Philadelphia Club field under Harry Wright's tuition, 
when the batsmen were allowed to bat at a dozen 
balls, each pitched to them for hitting purposes. As 
a general rule all the practice batting is for the pur- 
pose of giving chances for catches to the fielders. 
This is of great benefit in fielding improvement, and 
it is one of the reasons why the fielding leads the bat- 
ting in its progress tov/ard perfect play. 

What batsmen require for practice in learning to 
place balls is to practice against swift curve-line 
^Ditching. First, to bat against the " out curves," 
then against the "in curves;" then to try the 
various " shoots." But above ail, should the batsman 
practice wrist play in handling the bat against swift 



THE ART OF BATTING. 



35 



pitching. The most effective placing of the ball is 
done when runners are on bases and basemen neces- 
sarily hug their bases closer. With a runner on first 
base, and especially with one on second, a wrist-play 
hit of a swiftly pitched ball — almost a tap of the ball, 
as it were — will place the ball safely to right field and 
short of the outfielders' position. When a runner, 
too, is at second, and the second baseman and short- 
stop's attention is taken up by him, a similarly short 
hit high ball over the second baseman's head will 
earn a base, while a quick, sharp hit of the kind made 
while "facing for the pitcher," will frequently clear 
the third baseman's reach and send home the runner 
from second. Club managers or the captains of 
teams — whichever of the two have the daily training 
of the team in hand — should insist upon batting prac- 
tice in placing the ball, for until this is done very lit- 
tle improvement in batting can be expected. 

SACRIFICE HITTING. 

An essential part of good team work in batting is 
" sacrifice hitting." This is done whenever a bats- 
man, in his efforts to place a ball properly when 
runners are on bases, hits the ball to the field in such 
a way as to oblige the fielders to put the runner out 
at first base, thereby enabling the runner at first base 
when the hit is made, to reach his second base safely. 
This sacrifice hitting is nearly equivalent to a base 
hit; in fact, it is fully as effective when it is done at 
the time a runner is at third base and only one man 



36 



THE ART OF BATTING. 



out, for then it insures a run, and it is then really 
more valuable than a base hit made when no runners 
are on the bases. But sacrifice hits can only follow 
efforts to place a ball at right field, for otherwise they 
are merely chance hits. One advantage of a sacrifice 
hit is, that it relieves the batsman of the onus of being- 
charged with a poor hit, the latter being, of course, a 
hit to the field which affords a plain chance for an 
out, either in the form of an easy catch or a chance to 
throw a runner out, whether that runner is the striker 
or a runner forced off. Of course no sacrifice hit can 
be made when two men arc out, nor when there 
are no runners on bases. Every sacrifice hit which 
sends a runner home ought to be regarded as a base 
hit. Indeed, it is questionable whether all sacrifice 
hits made before more than one man is out should 
not be so credited, as they yield a base each time. No 
batsman can make a sacrifice hit if he goes to the bat 
simply with the idea of "slugging" at the ball, aS 
then his being put out by a hit which sends the run- 
ner round to the next base, is entirely an accidental 
hit. It is only when he makes an eflort to place the 
ball, and in that effort hits it so as to make it a sacri- 
fice, that he is worthy of the credit of it. 

FUNGOES. 

There is no worse habit for batsmen to indulge in, 
than that of batting "fungo" balls; that is, tossing the 



THE ART OF BATTING. 37 

ball in the air and hitting it to the tield. It trains the 
eye to meet the ball in batting it in a manner which 
never occurs in actual play. It ought to be prohibited 
on every vs^ell regulated ball field. If it be necessary 
to practice the fielder in making catches, or in stop- 
ping and fielding ground balls, let some outsider or 
other employe than the team player do the batting. 
And yet no tnatch takes place on a professional 
ground that some two or more of the players of the 
team, in their preliminary practice, do not engage in 
fungo batting; in fact, they have no other practice at 
the bat than this child's play style of hitting. When 
facing the regular pitching in a match, they have to 
bat against swiftly delivered balls,indeed, some are 
almost a direct line to the bat — and in order to meet 
such balls with eflfect, they need all the practice they 
can have in learning to sight such line balls. It can 
easily be seen, therefore, what a bad effect practice in 
hitting at balls whic'n fall to the ground at right angles 
to the line of the pitcher's regular delivery has. 

HOME RUN HITTING. 

All batsmen who go in for a record strive their ut- 
most to make home runs. They are well aware of 
the fact, that the majority of spectators at a match — 
especially in country towns — know little or nothing 
of what constitutes real skill in batting; the prevail- 
ing idea with the crowd being, that the best batsman 
is the "slugger," who manages to scratch a home run 
once out of every nine times at the bat. Hence 



38 THE ART OF BATTING. 

the eclat attendant upon a dashing hit of the kind Is 
too tempting to resist, and hence they throw team 
work in batting to the dogs, and go in for a style of 
batting which pleases the crowd, though it proves 
costly in the long run to the success of a team in 
taking the lead in a championship race. A brief 
glance at the cost of a home run in wear and tear of 
a batsman's physical strength, will show what a draw- 
back the slugging style of batting is in progress 
toward scientific hitting and thorough team work at 
the bat. Suppose nine men of one side in a match, 
go to the bat, and the first eight make single base hits 
in succession ; the result will be that, when the ninth 
man goes to the bat, five runs will have been scored 
and earned, and three men will be occupants of 
bases; and all this will have been done at the least 
possible expenditure of physical strength in running 
bases. vSuppose, on the other hand, that the first five 
men of the other side had made clean home runs, and 
that the other three were on bases, ready to be batted 
home by the ninth man, as in the case of the nine 
men first at the bat in the game. What would then 
have been accomplished? Simply the same number 
of runs as by the single base hitters, but at what com- 
parative cost would the runs have been obtained? 
The answer is, that while, in the first case, the bats- 
men who had scored and earned their runs by single 
hits, would be free from fatigue in running bases, 
and ready for active field work at once; the home 
run hitters would be partially exhausted with their 



THE ART OP BATTING. 39 

hundred and twenty yards spurts at their utmost 
speed, and unfit for their field duties without some 
rest. This is but one view of the subject of the 
costly character of the home run style of hitting, 
when compared to first-class team work in batting, 
in going in for single base hits, and good sacrifice hits 
after trying to place balls. Home runs are, of course, 
useful, but they should only be made the chief effort 
of a batsman's play in team work when the bases are 
occujoied, and it will pay to run the chance of failure. 
Even then we prefer to see a good placer of a ball 
come to the. bat, rather than a slugger. Another 
objection to home run hitters, lies in the fact, that, as 
a class, they become the easiest victims to strategic 
pitching. Besides the desire for the eclat attached 
to home run hitting elicited by the applause from the 
ignorant crowd, which acts as an inducement, there are 
the scoring rules of the game, and the mistaken sys- 
tem of press reporting in vogue. The former gives 
official prominence to the records of total base-hits 
and ignores sacrifice-hits. The reporters, as a gen- 
eral rule, see nothing worthy of special praise aside 
from "two-baggers,'' "three-baggers,'' and "home- 
runs." The custom of singling out for publication 
the names of batsmen who make these hits and runs 
is responsible for their striving more for this sort of 
glory than for the best intei*ests of the club they 
represent. Alike in the field and at the bat, a man 
may do the most effective work in that branch of 
base ball technically called "sacrifice-play,'' and yet 



40 THE ARl^ OF BATTING. 

not receive a word of credit for it at the hands of 
many of the reporters. Only let him get in a home- 
run, even though it be off the weakest kind of pitch- 
ing, and down will go his name in the score, and 
laudator}' press reports will follow. All this is a hin- 
drance to the policy of " playing for the side," which 
is the great essential of success, and the only way 
for players to render a club the most effective service. 
Were the recording of two and three base-hits and 
home-runs abandoned as a feature of scoring, and the 
recording of sacrifice-hits and other points of play 
incidental to earnest and honest co-operative work 
substituted, there would be much less of "playing for 
a record," regardless of the club interests, than there 
now is. 

WAITING FOR GOOD BALLS. 

The waiting for good balls is a strong point to 
play on a pitcher if it be properly done; but it will 
not do to wait for balls as too many batsmen do, that 
is to wait until they get a certain particular ball which 
is a pet ball with them. One thing essential in 
waiting for good balls is to be always ready to take 
prompt advantage of them when they do come, 
and not to be caught napping while out of good 
form for hitting. It is no discredit to a batsman to 
be sent to his base on called balls; on the contrary 
if he has the keen sight and good judgment to stand 
at the bat ready every time the ball is pitched to meet 
it and hit it to advantage— something requiring nervy 



THE ART OF BATTING. 41 

play 111 the face of a battery of swift curved balls — 
and he can thus drive the pitcher into g"iving him his 
base on balls, the batsman is playing a good point. 
As a rule, the batsman who can judiciously wait for 
good balls is a player who very frequently proves 
troublesome to quick-tempered pitchers. These latter 
dislike being foiled in their efforts to get batsmen out 
of form, and when they find a man waiting patiently 
ball after ball until one comes within reach, and also 
showing himself to be on the alert to meet the 
first good ball that comes within his reach, they are 
very apt to begin to put on extra speed and thereby 
lose command of the ball to an extent sufficient to 
have balls called on them, and the result is that the 
batsman is rewarded for his skilful policy by having 
his base given him on called balls. Wait for good 
balls, but do it while being fully on the alert to meet 
them when they do come in. 

BATTING FOR THE SIDE. 

Up to the season of 1S84 there was not one out of 
twenty professional batsmen who ever troubled them- 
selves about playing for the side at the bat. Fielders 
might do it sometimes, because a failure to do so is 
more apparent to outsiders than it is in batting. But to 
sacrifice the prevailing ambition to play for a batting 
record at the shrine of playing for the side is 
seldom thought of by the majority of the professional 
class of batsmen. Batting for the side is only shown 
when the efforts of the batsman are exerted solely 



42 THE ART OF BATTING. 

in the interests of enabling his side to score runs. 
For instance, suppose the first striker has made a base 
hit and earned and secured first base. The point for 
the succeeding batsman to play before all others is to 
get that runner forwarded to second base or further 
round if he can. The batsman who goes in for a 
record only, never troubles himself about the runner 
who is on the base waiting for a chance to steal to 
the next base, or to be batted round. He only thinks 
of the "big hit" he wants to make on his own special 
account. If in striving for this special hit, he either 
forces the runner out and thereby gets a base himself 
or is put out by a running catch in the out-field he 
considers himself in "hard luck"* when such a result 
is entirely due to his willful and studied neglect of 
scientific batting. On the other hand if he is a team 
player — that is a player who in his batting as well as 
fielding makes his own special record of secondary 
imj^ortance to the interests of the team as a whole in 
winning the game, his whole attention when he goes 
to the bat will be devoted to the point of doing his 
best to forward the runner round, if on first base, or 
in getting the runner home if the latter is on third. 
In other words, he does his best to play for the side. 
In doing this he is just as ready to make a sacrifice 
hit as in any other way to give advantage to the 
team he is in. 

PLAYING FOR A RECORD. 

Though, under the existing method of making out 



THE ART OP BATTING. 43 

the yearly averages of a club team, it apparently pays 
a batsman better to play for a record than to bat for 
the side in his team work, the latter policy in the 
long run will inure more to his ultimate benefit than 
any mere record playing. The latter shows in the 
list of averages and that is all it does. Take the 
nine men who lead in the average at the bat in the 
records of a season's play and place them in a team 
against nine men who are known to excel in good 
team work in batting for the side, and the former 
would prove to be no match for the latter in winning 
the series of matches for the championship. Take 
for instance the American records of club averages in 
batting, 1SS4, and what do we see; simply the Athletic 
Club at the head of the list in batting averages, though 
in the pennant race in winning games they stood sixth 
on the list. In the first place it is not such batting as 
is now in vogue that wins matches, but superior field- 
ing and base running, the latter especially. When 
batsmen learn the art of skilful batting then that de 
partment of the game will be more of an essential of 
success in winning matches than it now is. In the 
meantime sharp base running and good field support 
of efTective pitching has far more to do with victory 
than has the style of batting hitherto in vogue, which 
is largely that of batting for a record. 

It would surprise some of the managers of base 
ball clubs could they get at the inside of the profes- 
sional player's work and see how many batsmen 
sacrifice the interests of their club by efforts to play 



44 THE ART OF BATTING. 

for an individual record. The publishing of weekly 
and monthly averages at the bat also tends strongly 
to induce the batsmen to go for individual records; 
and it is pertinent to remark just here that the 
season's averages as far as published exhibit very 
plainly the utter uselessness of attempting to estimate 
a player's value to his team by the figures of his 
batting averages. 

CONFIDENCE IN HITTING. 

Confidence in one's ability to hit the ball v^^ith 
effect is half the battle in batting. To go up to the 
bat with a feeling of expectancy of failure and only a 
hope of success, is simply to court defeat. Confidence 
in hitting is born of a plucky and nervy determina- 
tion to deserve success by skillful efforts to secure it. 
It won't do to face the pitcher with any feeling of 
doubt as to j-our ability to punish his pitching; nor 
can you attain any degree of confidence in batting if 
you have any fear of the speed of the delivery. You 
must face the hot fire courageously, depending upon 
keen sight to watch the direction of the ball closely ; 
and also stand in such form, when ready to meet the 
ball from a swift delivery, as to insure your being 
able to step aside safely to avoid the impending blow 
from a badly joitched ball. There is an innate feeling 
of confidence in one's ability to hit the ball, which is 
the result of a practical knowledge of all the points 
of play in batting, which leads a batsman skilled in 
scientific hitting to punish pitching when the slugging 






THE ART OF BATTING. 45 

style of batsman invariably fails. Such a batsman 
goes up to the bat without a doubt as to his being 
able to " hit the pitching," and this confident feeling 
is the very power which enables him to succeed. 
Without it, practice in batting fails of its primary 
purpose, which is to give the batsman confidence in 
hitting. The difference between being confident in 
hitting and lacking confidence, is often strikingly 
illustrated when batsmen face a noted strategist for 
the first time. If, when they go to the bat, they are 
told that they are about to face the most effective 
pitcher in the country, they will at once imagine 
that every ball he sends in is fraught with some dan- 
ger or other to the hope of a successful hit, which 
at once deprives them of what little confidence they 
otherwise might have had. On the other hand, if 
the pitcher is one they only know of as an untried 
man in the position — no matter what his real ability 
may be — they go up to the bat with a degree of con- 
fidence which almost insures success at the outset. 
Frank Pidgeon's remark to the Eckfords when they 
went to the bat to face the Atlantics in the olden 
days, illustrates the depressing effect prestige of skill 
has in depriving batsmen of confidence in hitting. 
Frank said to his men one day, on the old Manor 
House grounds, when the Eckfords were losing 
ground in their game with the Atlantics, " Go up to 
the bat, men, and forget all about these fellows being 
the Atlantics, and think they are only an ordinary 
nine you're playing against." It is just such a feeling 



46 THE ART OF BATTING. 

as Frank referred to in this case that loses half the 
games played. Indeed, some teams, when they face 
noted rivals, are beaten before they strike a single 
blow. 

Sometimes a sudden degree of confidence is in. 
spired in a certain class of batsmen, when they reach 
a particular innings in a match, one, for instance, in 
which they have been generally lucky enough to score 
runs; and it frequently happens that they will then 
and there " get onto a streak of batting " which will 
pull them out of the fire. It was a peculiarity of the 
old Atlantic batsmen that tiiey never felt discouraged 
or lost hope of ultimate success in a match until the 
last man was out in the last innings, and the feeling 
of confidence in batting which was thus inspired, en- 
abled them to pull many an apparently lost game out 
of the fire. Let a man go up to the bat to face the 
j^itcher with the idea that he is too difficult a pitcher 
to punish, and the very lack of confidence in his own 
power will make him an easy victim. Let, however, 
the batsman face the pitching confident that he can, 
by his quick sight, command of the bat, and ability to 
prevent the fielder from outwitting him, make good 
hits, and as sure as the ball comes within his legiti- 
mate reach he will hit it safely five times out of six. 
To retain this confidence, therefore, is the essential 
point in batting; to destroy it, the great point in 
pitching. 



THE ART OF BATTING. 



FOUL AND FAIR BALLS. 



47 



The important difference between balls hit high 
from the bat and those hit almost directly to the 
ground, as applicable to the rule defining fair and foul 
hit balls, is frequently lost sight of, alike by players 
and spectators. If a ball be hit up in the air it becomes 
"fair" or "foul" according to its falling on "fair" or 
"foul" ground. But if it be /^// direct to the ground^ 
it becomes "fair" or "foul" according to iX^Jinal stof- 
page on "fair" or "foul" ground before passing either 
first or third base. The appended diagram illustrates 
the difference above referred to. 




TECHNICAL TERMS IN BATTING. 

Bases on Hits. — A base is fairly earned by the 
batsman when he hits the ball in such a manner that 
it can neither be caught on the fly nor fielded to any 
base in time to put any player out. It does not follow 
that because the striker reaches the first base himself 



48 THE ART OF BATTING. 

in time — and that, too, not by an error of fielding — 
that thereby he makes his base on a hit, as the ball 
may be used to better advantage in putting out the 
player "forced off." It must be earned by a clean 
hit, or he is not to be credited with a base earned. 

Bases on Errors. — A base is secured by errors 
when the striker gets safely to first base, either through 
the ball being "muffed" by the fielder, or thrown 
wildly to the base player, or not held by him when 
accurately thrown. A base, too, is secured by an 
error when an easy chance for a catch is lost, either 
by the poor judgment or lack of activity of the fielder, 
or when two fielders both hesitate to take the chance 
offered. 

Batsman. — The striker at the bat is called the 
batsman or "striker" until he has hit a fair ball, had 
three strikes called, or has been given his base on balls. 

Bounder. — A "bounder" is a ball from the bat 
which bounds out of the fair reach of the infield- 
ers. It is a ball which first strikes the ground in the 
infield. 

Clean Home Runs. — This is the term applied to 
a run obtained by a long hit to the out-field by which 
the ball is sent out of reach of the out-fielders so 
as to admit of a base-runner running round and 
touching all four bases before he is put out. Jf 
he stops on any base, thinking he cannot get liome 
in time, he is to be credited only with the 
number of bases he made before stopping. Ordi- 



THE ART OF BATTING. AO 

nary home runs are frequently made from over- 
throws, or dropped or muffed balls at the outer-field. 
These are not now counted as home-runs, as they are 
the result of errors in the field, and not of heavy bat- 
ting. Home runs at best are no criterion of skillful 
batting, and they are only useful in bringing men 
home when the bases are all occupied. 

Daisy Cutters. — A "daisy cutter" is a ball hit 
sharply and close along the ground from a ball pitched 
low to the bat. When sent in the right direction 
they are telling and pretty hits. 

Fair Balls. — A fair ball is one sent from the bat 
so as to strike the ground anywhere in front of or on 
the line of the in-field from home base to third base, 
and home base to first base, or which rolls into fair 
ground between these bases. 

Foul Balls. — These are balls sent from the bat 
which strike the ground back of the foul-ball lines, or 
which roll out from fair ground. 

Facing for a Hit. — The batsman is said to 
"face for a hit" when he stands in such position as 
nearly to face the part of the field he desires to send 
the ball. 

FuNGO. — This is a style of batting useful only In 
affording out-fielders a chance for practice In taking 
long high balls on^ the fly. It, however, gets the 
batsman out of good batting form, for he has to hit 
the ball as it falls jDcrpendicularly, and not as it comes 
to him In pitching, nearly horizontally. 



50 THE ART OF BATTING. 

Grounder. — A ground hit is a very safe style of 
hitting if the ball is sent in the right direction. 
Sharply hit grounders sent to any position, except 
first base, will generally yield a base hit. 

High Balls. — A "high ball" is one hit high in 
the air, and favorably for a fielder to catch. Long 
high balls are much admired by spectators, but with 
intelligent and experienced fielders and a good, sharp 
captain, every such ball hit ought to lead to the 
striker being put out. 

Line Ball. — A "line ball" or "liner," is a ball 
sent swiftly from the bat to the field almost on a hori- 
zontal line. A catch from such a ball looks hand- 
some; but it is not as a general thing so difficult a ball 
to hold as a high foul ball, as the latter has great bias 
given to it by the bat. 

Long Balls — "Long balls" are balls sent either 
flying or bounding along the ground to the out-field- 
ers. If the former, they ought to be caught; if the 
latter, they surely give a base. 

Low Ball. — This Is a ball sent low to the bat. 
The legal reach of the batsman does not extend lower 
than the knee of the batsman. 

One, Two, Three Order. — This term is applied 
to the order of retirement when three batsmen are 
put out in succession. 

Players Running Bases. — The striker ceases to 
be considered as such the moment he strikes a fair ball, 



THE ART OF BATTING. ^I 

or when he is obhged to run to first base from faiHng 
to hit the ball after striking at it three times, when 
given his base on balls. 

Popping One Up. — This term is ajDplied to a ball 
hit up high, which readily falls into the hands of an 
in-fielder. It is the poorest hit made. 

Runs. — A player scores a run the moment he 
fairly touches the home base. 

Striker. — The batsman is the striker until he runs 
for the first base after hitting a ball fairly, or is given 
his base on balls. 

Safe Hits. — This term is applied to high balls 
sent from the bat with just force enough to carry 
them over the heads of the in-fields, but not far 
enough out for the out-fielders to catch. 

Striking Out. — When Ihe batsman hits at a fair 
ball three times and fails to hit it, and the ball be 
caught, or it be sent to first base in time to put the 
player out, he "strikes" out. 

Shoulder Ball. — This is a ball sent to the bat on 
a line with the batsman's shoulder. Some batsmen 
hit these balls well. 

Timing a Ball. — This is done when you time 
the swing of your bat to meet the ball so as to hit it 
at a right angle to the line of your bat, and to hit the 
ball in the center. 



52 



THE ART OF BATTING. 



THE LEADING BATTING AVERAGES OF 1885. 

LEAGUE. 

The following are the best batting averages of the 
players in the League championship games for 1S85, 
the record including only those who took part in one 
hundred games and over. 



PLAYER. 



Connor. . . . 
Sutton . . . . 
O'Rourke . 
Anson .. . . 

Gore 

Hanlon. .. 
Gillespie . . 

Kelly 

McKinnon. 

Wise 

Glasscock . 
Dairy mple. 

Start 

Dunlap. . . . 
Mulvey . . 
Andrews . . 

Burns 

Manning . . 
Pfeffer . . . . 

Lillie 

Radford . . . 

Farrar 

Williamson 
Fogarty . . . 
Carroll. .. 
Morrill . . . . 

Ward 

Manning . . 
Bastian. . . . 
Gerhardt . . 



CLUB. 



New York 

Boston 

New York 

Chicago 

Detroit 

New York 

Chicago 

St. Louis 

Boston 

St. Louis 

Chicago 

Providence 

St. Louis 

Philadelphia 

u 

Chicago 

Philadelphia ...... 

Chicago 

Buffalo 

Providence 

Philadelphia 

Chicago 

Philadelphia 

Providence 

Boston 

New York 

Boston and Detroit 

Philadelphia 

New York 



no 
109 
112 
112 
109 
105 
102 
108 
100 
107 
III 

lOI 

106 
106 
103 
112 
107 
112 
112 

105 
III 

113 
III 
104 
III 
II I 

105 
103 
112 



O u ^ 

PhMH 



.382 

,310 

.309 
•309 
.309 
.309 

.296 

.288 

.287 
.283 
.283 

.277 
.268 

.265 
.263 

,262 
,260 

.250 
.243 
.243 
,241 

.239 
237 
234 

,232 
,227 

,226 

168 
162 



THE ART OF BATTING. 



5S 



AMERICAN ASSOCIATION. 

Of the batsmen of the American Association ckibs 
who played in one hundred championship games and 
over, in 1885, the following took the lead: 



PLAYER. 



Browning 

Orr 

Stovey 

Larkin 

Jones 

Reilly 

Brown 

Brady 

Phillips 

Carpenter , . . 

Corkhill 

Wolf 

Pinckney. . . . 
Roseman. . . , 

McPhee 

Welch 

Fennelly 

Smith 

Smith 

Gleason . . , , 

Mann 

McClellan... 

Nelson 

Muldoon . . . 

Sommer 

Kerins 

Swart wood. 

Reccius 

Maskrey. . . . 
Kuehne . . . . 
McLaughlin 
Latham . . . . 

Nicol 

Strieker . . . . 
Macullar . . . 



CLUB. 



Louisville. . . 
Metropolitan . 
Athletic 



Cincinnati 



Pittsburg . . . 
Metropolitan 
Brooklyn. . . . 
Cincinnati , . 



Louisville . . . 
Brooklyn. . . 
Metropolitan. 
Cincinnati . . . 
St. Louis . . . . 
Cincinnati . . . 
Pittsburg . . . . 

Brooklyn 

St. Louis 

Pittsburg 

Brooklyn. . . . 
Metropolitan , 
Baltimore . . 



Louisville 
Brooklyn. 
Louisville 



Pittsburg. 
Louisville 
St. Louis . 



Athletic . . 
Baltimore 





■B^a 




^ ■>-' *-> 


i 


v>^ w 


B 


u <n P 









D-ech 


i'3 


.367 


107 


.366 


112 


.34- 


108 


.33H 


112 


.327 


106 


.308 


108 


.304 


108 


.296 


100 


.293 


112 


.291 


112 


.291 


in 


.288 


III 


.288 


I I 


.284 


no 


.27.'; 


112 


.266 


112 


.259 


106 


.258 


109 


.256 


112 


.253 


100 


•253 


113 


.251 


107 


•251 


103 


.250 


no 


.250 


113 


•243 


100 


•242 


105 


.240 


no 


.230 


105 


.216 


113 


.215 


no 


.213 


112 
106 


.211 


.211 


IOC 


.202 



54 



THE ART OP BATTING. 



EASTERN LEAGUE. 



The following are the batting averages of players 
of the Eastern League who took part in eighty 
games and over, in their championship contests of 

1885: 



PLAYER. 



Jones 

Knowles . . 
Coogan . . . 
Hoover. . . , 

Parnell 

White 

Greenwood 
Higgins . . . 
Reccius . . . 
Gladman . . 
Tiernan . . . 

Glenn 

Parker . . . , 

Alcott 

Leo Smith. 
Hatfield . . , 

Friel 

Latham . . . 
Tommy . . . 
Brouthers. , 



CLUB. 



Newark . . . 
National. .. 
Newark .'. . 
National . . . 

Virginia . . . 

Trenton , . . 
National . . . 
Trenton . . . 
Virginia . . . 
Lancaster . 
Trenton . . 
Newark . . . 

Jersey City 
Virginia , . . 
Lancaster . 
Trenton . . . 





^2| 


ui 


fSl 


E 


r.r^p 







85 


OHCq'H 


.306 


95 


.303 


89 


.300 


89 


.295 


86 


.291 


95 


.276 


93 


.275 


92 


.270 


86 


.253 


85 


.247 


88 


.247 


82 


.231 


86 


.229 


89 


.228 


95 


.212 


84 


.210 


81 


.207 


92 


.204 


87 


.192 


93 


.180 



THE ART OP BATTING. 



55 



SOUTHERN LEAGUE. 

The following are the batting averages of the 
players who took part in fifty games and over, in the 
Southern League championship gairies, in 1885: 



Soivders. , 
Goldsby. . 

Beard 

Cahill . . . . 
McVey. . . 

Mack 

Werrick. . 
Hillery... 

Marr 

Harbridge 
Lavin. . . . 
Seigle. . . . 

Sneed 

Strauss . . . 
Leary .... 
Hofford .. 
Sylvester . 
Andrews . 
Heinzman 

Cross . 

Mappes . . 
Kappel, J. 
Clark .... 
Lyons. .. 
Cleveland 
Kilroy . . . 
Murphy, P 
Dundon. . 
Levis .. . . 

Voss 

Kellogg . . 
Bittman . . 
Henke . . . 
Hart 



Nashville 

Atlanta 

Nashville 

Atlanta 

Macon 

Nashville 

Augusta 

Macon 

Chattanooga 

Nashville 

Columbus 

Augusta 

a 

Memphis & Augusta 

Columbus 

Macon 

Memphis & Cliat. . . 

Atlanta 

Columbus & Aug. . 

Atlanta 

Columbus 

Atlanta 

Augusta 

Birm'ham & Nash. . 

Atlanta 

Macon & Chat 

Nashville 

n 

Atlanta 

a 

Chattanooga 



100 

93 

66 
90 

84 

91 
102 

94 

83 
89 

83 

89 

52 
88 
67 

75 
94 
86 

63 

^ 

51 
79 
93 
87 
62 



59 

72 

73 
50 
98 
78 
59 



PER 

CENT. 

•309 
•305 
.297 

•295 
.290 
.280 
.279 

.278 

.273 
.270 
.266 
.262 

.257 
.249 
.249 
,248 
.246 

.245 
.244 
.242 
.233 
•233 
.232 
.230 
.230 
.228 
.226 
.221 
.217 
.211 
.211 
.210 
.210 
.210 



56 



THE ART OF BATTING. 



Southern League. — Continued. 



Collins, H.. 
Murphy, W. 
Otterson. . . . 

Pelz 

Stephens . . . 

Walsh 

McLaughlin 

Tracy 

Graham . . . . 
Hamburg. . . 

Zell 

Masran 

Ryn 

Roxburg . . . 
Esterdaj' . . . 
Murray . . . . 

Jevne 

Diestel 

Roche 

Heard 

Hellman . . . 

Gilks 

Geiss 

Barber 

Merritt 

Donnelly. . . 

Bullar 

Green 



Columbus 

Augusta & Binn. . 

Chattanooga , 

Macon, . . ." 

Memphis & Birm . . , 

Birmingham 

Memphis 

Columbus , 

Macon , 

Memphis 

Chattanooga , 

Augusta 

Macon 

Atlanta , 

Nashville 

Birmingham , 

Augusta . 

Nashville 

Chattanooga 

Mem., Birm. & Nash 
Birmingham 

Augusta c^ Col urn. . 

Chattanooga 

Chat. & Macon . . . 



PER 

CENT. 



90 
61 
91 

78 

57 
52 
51 
69 

I) 

85 
62 

58 
88 

99 

(.7 

70 
80 

84 
57 
59 
7^ 
62 

50 
86 

55 
54 

55 



209 
,209 
,207 
.205 
,201 
200 
196 

195 
194 
192 
191 
188 
187 
184 
181 
179 
177 
176 
172 
169 
167 
158 
157 
157 
156 
155 
154 
142 



THE ART OF BATTING. 57 

THE BATTING RULES. 

Rule io. The Bats7nan^s Lines must be straigfht 
lines forming the boundaries of a space on the riglit, 
and of a similar space on the left of the Home Base, 
six feet long by four feet wide, extending three feet 
in front of, and three feet behind the center of the 
Home Base, and with its nearest line distant six 
inches from the Home Base. 

Rule 14. The Bat^ 

(i) Must be made wholly of wood, except that the 
handle may be wound with twine, or a granulated 
substance applied, not to exceed eighteen inches from 
the end. 

(3) It must be round, except that a portion of the 
surface may be flat on one side, must not exceed two 
and one-half inches in diameter in the thickest part, 
and must not exceed forty-two inches in length. 

Rule 33. A Fair Hit is a ball batted by the 
Batsman, standing in his position, that first touches 
the ground, the First Base, the Third Base, the part 
of the person of a player, or any other object that is 
in front of, or on either of the Foul Lines, or {excep- 
tion^ batted directly to the ground by the Batsman, 
standing in his position, that (whether it first touches 
Foul or Fair ground) bounds or rolls within the 
Foul Lines, between Home and First, or Home and 
Third Bases, without first touching the person of a 
player. 

Rule 33. A Foul Hit is a ball batted by the 



58 THE ART OF BATTING. 

Batsman, standing in nis position, that first touches 
the ground, the part of tlie person of a player, or any 
other object that is behind either of the Foul Lines, 
or that strikes the person of such Batsman, while 
standing in his position, or {^exception) batted directly 
to the ground by the Batsman, standing in his posi- 
tion, that (whether it first touches Foul or Fair 
Ground) bounds or rolls outside the Foul Lines, be- 
tween Home and First, or Home and Third Bases, 
without first touching the person of a 2:>layer. 

Rule 34. When a batted ball passes outside the 
grounds, the Umpire shall decide it fair should it dis- 
appear within, or foul should it dis appear outside of 
the range of the foul lines, and Rules 32 and 33 are 
to be construed accordingly. 

Rule 35. A Strike is 

( 1 ) A ball struck at by the Batsman without its 
touching his bat; or 

(2) A ball legally delivered by the Pitcher aT; the 
height called for by the Batsman, and over the Home 
Base, but not struck at by the Batsman. 

Rule 36. A Foul Strike is a ball batted by the 
Batsman when any part of his person is upon ground 
outside the lines of the Batsman's position. 

Rule 50. The Bats7nan^ o7z taking his positioji^ 
must call for a " High Ball," a " Low Ball," or a 
"High or Low Ball," and the Umpire shall notify 
the Pitcher to deliver the ball as required; such call 
shall not be changed after the first ball delivered. 
The Umpire shall count and call every « Unfair Ball" 



THE ART OF BATTINC. 59 

delivered by the Pitcher, and every " Dead Ball," if 
also an " Unfair Ball," as a " Ball;" and he shall also 
count and call every " Strike." Neither a " Ball " nor 
a " Strike " shall be called or counted until the ball 
has passed the Home Base. 

Rule 51. The Batsman is out^ 

(i) If he fails to take his position at the bat in 
his order of batting, unless the error be discovered, 
and the proper Batsman takes his position before a 
fair hit has been made, and in such case the balls and 
strikes called w^ill be counted in the time at bat of the 
proper batsman. 

(3) If he fails to take his position within one min- 
ute after the Umpire has called for the Batsman. 

(3) If he makes a Foul Hit and the ball be mo- 
mentarily held by a fielder before touching the ground, 
provided it be not caught in a fielder's hat or cap, or 
touch some object other than the fielder before being 
caught. 

(4) If he makes a Foul Strike. 

(5) If he plainly attempts to hinder the catcher 
from fielding the ball, evidently without eflfort to 
make a fair hit. 

Rule 52. The Bats7nan becotncs a base 7'unner 

(i) Instantly after he makes a Fair Hit. 

(3) Instantly after six balls have been called by 
the Umpire. 

(3) Instantly after three strikes have been declared 
by the Umpire. 



6o THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 

THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 

Each season's experience only shows more and 
more the fact that good base running is one of the 
most important essentials of success in winning games. 
Effective pitching is a great aid to success, so is skill- 
ful batting; but it is equally as necessary to a suc- 
cessful issue of a contest after a base has been ob- 
tained by a good hit, that other bases should be 
secured by skillful running of bases. It is a difficult 
task to get to first base safely in the face of the effect- 
ual fire from a first-class club " battery," backed up 
by good support in the field; but it is still more diffi- 
cult when the base is safely reached, to secure the 
other three bases. The fact is, a greater degree of 
intelligence is required in the player who would excel 
in base running than is needed either in fielding or in 
batting. Any soft-brained heavy weight can occa. 
sionally hit a ball for a home run, but it requires a 
shrewd, intelligent player, with his wits about him, 
to make a successful base runner. Indeed, base run- 
ning is the most difficult work a player has to do in 
the game. To cover infield positions properly, a de- 
gree of intelligence in the players is required which 
the majority do not as a general rule possess; but to 
excel in base running such mental qualifications are 
required as only a small minority are found to possess. 
Presence of mind, prompt action on the spur of the 
moment; quickness of perception, and coolness and 
nerve are among the requisites of a successful base 
runner. Players habitually accustomed to hesitate to 



THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 6l 

do this, that or the other, in attending to the varied 
points of a game, can never become good base run- 
ners. There is so little time allowed to judge of the 
situation that prompt action becomes a necessity with 
the base runner. He must "hurry up" nil the time. 
Then, too, he must be daring in taking risks, while at 
the same time avoiding recklessness in his running. 
Though fast running is an important aid in base run- 
ning, a fast runner who lacks judgment, coolness, and, 
in fact, "headwork" in his running, will not equal a 
poor runner who possesses the nerve and intelligence 
required for the work. The great point in the art of 
base running is to know when to start, and to start 
promptly when the favorable opportunity is offered. 
One difficulty a base runner, trying to steal to second, 
invariably encounters, is his having to watch either 
the pitcher or catcher closely. He cannot watch 
both carefully, and therefore he must make his selec- 
tion as to which player he will look after. If the 
catcher is an accurate and swift thrower to the bases, 
he is the man to be attended to. But if the pitcher is 
one who has a method of delivery which includes a 
number of special movements which occupy more 
than the ordinary time in delivering the ball, then he 
is the man to watch, for he will surely afford the run- 
ner the required opportunity to steal a base or to 
secure a balk, if the runner only plays his part prop- 
erly. A sharp base runner can bother a pitcher ex- 
ceedingly by skillful dodging. It requires no small 
amount of nerve and coolness for a pitcher to watch 
a runner closely, and yet to play the strategical points 
of his pitching with full effect. 



62 THE ART OF BASE IIUNNING. 

For many years past, season after season, have we 
endeavored to impress upon the j^rofessional fraternity 
the importance of skillful base running in winning 
matches, as well as to show them the many fine 
points that were capable of being developed in first 
class base running. Judging from the fact that the 
finest base running ever witnessed in the professional 
arena was exhibited during the season of 1SS4, the 
indications are that the lessons that have been taught 
have at last yielded fruit. With all the skill shown last 
season in this special department of the game, there 
are yet some things to be learned. Experience is fre- 
quently a good teacher, but her lessons are costly at 
times. There are players, however, who will not 
derive their knowledge of how to play the points of the 
game well from any other source, and hence it is that 
years have been required to develop a degree of skill 
in base play and base running which might otherwise 
have been attained in a single season or two. 

POINTS OF PLAY IN BASE RUNNING. 

The moment a batsman hits a ball he should run 
for first base with all his speed. He has no business 
to stop and see if the ball wnll be caught and fielded; 
he should act at all times as if a chance was oflfered to 
reach first, and go for that base as fast as he can. 
Many a base has been lost by the refusal of the bats- 
man to run because he thought the hit ball would 
surely be caught, or be easily fielded to first base in 
time. He should never take either event as some- 



THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 63 

thing granted, but expect errors to aid him and act 
accordingly. 

In running down to second, when a runner is on 
third base, he should run in such a way as to invite 
a throw to second to cut him off, and then try to get 
the attention of the infielders fixed on his own move- 
ments so as to give the runner on third base a chance 
to get home. Of course in playing this point it must 
be done only when there is but one man out, unless 
the situation is such as to make a single run decisive 
in ending the contest, in which case his play will be 
to delay the putting out of himself between first and 
second until the runner on third crosses the home 
plate, or otherwise the run will not count. 

In running to first base the runner should be care- 
ful to avoid running in front of the base line, because 
that alone puts him out. It is always safe, too, to 
turn to the right after overrunning first base, unless 
the hit is very sure for more than one base, as he can- 
not profit by the rule of exemption from being put out 
after overrunning the base if he turns to the left. 

In running bases on fly balls caught in the outfield, 
the moment such high ball is hit, and there is any 
chance of its being caught, he should hold the base 
he occupies, and in such a way as to be ready to start 
quickly for the next base the moment the ball is 
caught, and not run halfway down first, only to have 
to return and touch the base he left after the ball is 
caught, before he can run to the next base. 

When two men are out, and a runner is on third, 



64 THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 

and the batted ball is being fielded to cut off a runner 
between first and second — not forced oflf — the runner 
on third should make the best time possible in run- 
ning home, so as to cross the plate before the other 
runner is put out, otherwise his run will not count. 

BASE RUNNING A SPECIAL REQUIRE- 
MENT. 

Club managers have, within the past year or two, 
realized very forcibly the superiority of the plan of 
selecting the players of their team on the basis of 
excellence as fielders and basemen, rather than as 
batsmen. In fact, marked skill as base runners has 
come to be a sine qua ?ion in selecting men for a 
first-class team. First, their fitness for their special 
home position in the field as fielders; next their skill 
as base runners; and then their ability as batsmen. 
In fact, the old plan of selecting men according to the 
figures of their batting average, as the first matter to 
be considered in choosing them, is completely played 
out. In 1886 skillful base running won the National 
League pennant, and especially that of the American 
Association, the St. Louis team excelling among pro- 
fessional men in the country in this respect in 1886. 
It was largely due to the want of skill in base run- 
ning that the New York team failed to reach the 
point in the race their relative strength in all respects 
warranted. The amenchTient to the rules of both 
Associations in regard to the recording of stolen 
bases is one well calculated to improve all the 



THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 65 

nines in this essential of success this season. The 
new rule will give an incentive to base running, and 
better work will be done by all the teams in the base 
running department in 1886. 

THE BASE RUNNING OF 1885. 

A great deal of the base running of the season 
of 18S5 was the result of almost reckless in- 
difference to the risks of being put out, which were 
incurred. The risk, by the way, is not so great as 
one would naturally imagine. One question a base 
runner has to consider in taking risks, is, what are 
the chief obstacles to my success? These are chiefly 
swift and accurate throwing by the catchers to the 
basemen; surety in holding the ball, and activity of 
movement in touching a nmner on the part of the 
baseman. Now, all of these essentials are materi- 
ally affected by the degree of confidence a catcher or 
baseman has in his ability to catch a runner napping. 
Given a quick runner, who lacks judgment as to the 
time to start for a base, and who is apt to hesitate; and a 
good thrower from home to second, with a good man 
at second to take the ball, and the latter will catch the 
former napping four times, out of six. But let these 
same two fielders have a sharp, shrewd, and daring base 
runner, like Ward of New York, Kelly of Chicago, 
Latham of St. Louis, and a few others who could be 
named, to bother them, and, in four cases out of six, 
they will lose confidence in their work, and the result 
will be the safety of the reckless base runner. 



66 THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 

Runners like the above named players, " rattle " the 
swiftest of throwers from home to second, and also 
the surest holders of balls at bases. Better to run a 
great risk than to take no risk at all in your running. 

WATCHING THE PITCHER. 

Runners to bases from first to second should watch 
the delivery of the pitcher closely, for from the 
peculiarity of his style of delivery will they get their 
cue for a good start. Some pitchers have a totally 
different manner of delivering the ball when a run- 
ner on a base to that which he has when the bases 
are clear. The difference should be watched closely 
and taken advantage of. In doing this, too, watch 
the pace of the delivery, for there is a point for the 
runner in this, inasmuch as some catchers find it im- 
possible to gather well for an accurate throw, unless 
the ball is sent on with less speed than ordinary. 
Watch also the position of the catcher, as to his 
standing right behind the center of the home plate 
or to the right of it, for if the latter, he is then pre- 
pared to throw to a base; if not, the pitcher will then 
mostly be sending the ball in hot for strikes, in which 
case the runner will have a show to take a base. 

FAILING TO RUN QUICK. 

A base runner ought to be fined by his manager 
every time he fails to run at his best the moment he 
drops his bat at the home plate, or starts from any 
other base, either on a hit or on a force. It simply 



THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 67 

shows stupidity or indifference, to run slow, or to 
stop running, simply because an apparently sure catch 
or an out is before you. Nothing is sure in base ball, 
and, therefore, tlie plan is to play for uncertain results 
in the fielding all the time; that is, play to expect a 
ball to be muffed, or dropped, or badly thrown. 
This is the secret of the success of darins: ba^e 



runnuiof. 



LEAVING BASES TOO SOON. 

Never leave a held base until it is absolutely sure 
that you are out, or obliged to return from a base. 
Many a runner has been put out when he was safe 
from not being sure before he left his base to return 
from the diamond that he was actually out, or that 
the inning was ended. The importance of this point 
was strikingly illustrated in the Boston-New York 
game of August 21. Two men were out in the last 
part of the tenth innings, when Connor made his 
third called stroke at the bat, and he became at once 
a base runner. Ward ran home on the strike, seeing 
that Gunning had not held the ball on the fly. Con- 
nor, thinking it was a sure out, stopped running. 
The ball, however, was thrown wild to Morrell by 
Whitney, and Connor reached the base safely. Had 
the throw been straight, however, he would have 
been out, and the run would not have counted. 



68 THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 

SLIDING IN. 

The sliding in business will be easier this season 
than ever before on account of the runners being 
saved from bruised hips by the use of the new^ slid- 
ing pad. A new reading of an old proverb comes in 
apropos here, and that is: "A slide in time saves 
an out." Practice makes perfect in doing the slide 
effectively. Be prompt in getting up sharply after a 
slide in, as the ball may be muffed in the collision. 

A NEW RULE FOR BASE RUNNERS. 

The American Code of Playing Rules contains a 
new clause, which reads differently to what the rule 
was intended to cover; and it is that which gives a 
runner out for interfering with, or allowing a thrown 
ball to touch him. The interference must be plainly 
apparent, however. If the thrown ball could not 
possibly be avoided — as in the case of a ball hitting 
a runner sliding in — the rule does not apply. That 
is the spirit of it. 

POINTS IN THE GAME. 



CHANGING THE BATTERY. 

A very important point for a captain of a nine to 
consider is that of changing his battery, when the 
batting side is beginning to become confident in their 
hitting. Too little of this change of pitching in a . 
game, as a strategic point to play, was done last sea- 



THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 69 

son, and more than should have been on an errone- 
ous estimate of the pitcher's alleged punishment by 
the batting side. 

A strong point for a captain to play in the matter 
of changing pitchers in a game, is to keep a sharp 
lookout for the time when his batting opponents be- 
gin to get confidence in hitting; for, the moment they 
do then is the time to change your pitcher, even if 
he is not being punished to any serious extent. Con- 
fidence is a great thing in a ball match, w^hether in 
regard to fielding or batting, but in batting it is 
everything. The spurts in hitting, vs^hich so fre- 
quently puzzle the calculations of a pitcher, are en- 
tirely the result of a sudden accession of confidence 
in the batsmen, who follow the lead of a successful 
base-hitter with hit after hit, where previous innings' 
play had seen them retire from easy chances given the 
field. The moment, therefore, the captain sees this 
confidence attained, he should change his pitcher at 
once, no matter whether he is being punished or not, 
it being very important to nip this kind of thing in 
the bud. Of course, it is always proper for a cap- 
tain to change his pitcher when he finds that he is 
being badly punished; but he should be sure, before 
this is done, that he has been punished. And the 
captain should bear in mind the important fact that 
no pitcher can be punished by his batting opponents 
unless his pitching be hit for eaj-ned runs. A pitcher 
is never punished by batsmen so long as no runs are 
being earned by base-hits. If he gives chances for 



70 THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 

outs off his pitching which his field support fails to 
accept, the fault is with the fielders, and not in the 
pitching. This changing of pitchers on the basis of 
base-hits scored from the delivery, without regard to 
the runs scored being earned or not, is a blunder, as 
well as an injustice to the pitcher. There is another 
cause for a pitcher's being punished by the batsmen 
which was last season too seldom taken into account, 
and that is the fact that a pitcher is frequently 
obliged to " let up " on his catcher, when the latter 
has either been disabled by some injury to his hands, 
or in some other way been prevented from playing 
up to his customary high mark behind the bat. In 
such a case a change of pitchers is comparatively use- 
less. In thus reducing his speed, and thereby the 
effectiveness of his curve, the pitcher necessarily lays 
himself open to punishment at the hands of his bat- 
ting opponents. In such a case, if there is no strong 
change-catcher at command, it becomes a question as 
to which is the more costly- — the passed-balls and 
missed fly-tips consequent upon the inability of the 
catcher to support the regular speed of his pitcher, or 
the chances offered for base-hits off the reduced pace, 
and the lessened effect of the curve necessitated by 
the pitcher's being obliged to " let up " on his catcher. 

CHANGING POSITIONS. 

One of the now obsolete customs of a match game 
of ball used to be the change of positions in the field 
nearly every inning. As a general thing, this is the 



THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. ^I 

merest child's play. In the early part of the season, 
when engaged in an unimportant match with a 
weaker nine, a change or two may be allowable by 
way of experiment; but under no circumstances, ex- 
cept those of illness or injury, should a position in the 
nine— except that of the pitcher — be changed during 
playing of a match, or, in fact, during the entire sea- 
son, unless you can substitute a palpably superior 
player, or in case experience proves the inability of 
any one man to properly play his position in a nine. 
The folly of taking a base player off because he fails to 
hold a ball or two badly thrown or swiftly batted to 
him, or of putting a base player in the field because the 
fielder happens to drop a difficult ball to hold, or even 
to miss an easy catch, is so apparent to any ordinary 
observer, that we are surprised to see it adopted by any 
but captains of weak judgment. What reason have 
you to suppose that the player committing an error in 
one position, and that, too, one he is familiar with, is 
going to do better in one he is not at home in ; and 
if he does not, whence the advantage of the change? 
For, as the game is now played, every position in the 
field requires to be equally well played, to insure suc- 
cess in a match game. 

HINTS TO PITCHERS. 

Always have an understanding with your two sets 
of fielders in regard to private signals, so as to be able 
to call them in closer, or place them out further, or 
nearer the foul ball lines, as occasion may require, 



72 THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 

without giving notice to ^^our adversaries. Warn 
your out fielders also to watch well the batsman, so as 
to be ready to move in the direction he faces for bat- 
ting. Thus, if the left fielder is in his regular posi- 
tion, and he sees the batsman facing for a hit close to 
the first base, let him go nearer to center field, and the 
center fielder nearer to right, and the latter fielder 
close to if not beyond the foul ball line. When you 
find that your adversaries have in their nine two or 
three men fond of making showy hits, or of hitting at 
the first ball that comes to them as hard as they can, 
lay your out field in readiness for long, fly balls; ex- 
tend your basemen for high balls short of the out 
field, and then tell your pitcher to send him in a nice 
one where he wants it, and in nine cases out of ten, if 
your men are well trained, the "splendidly hit ball" 
will be held as nicely as you want it. Be careful, 
however, that you are not tempted to draw in your 
men too much for short hits; you should consult with 
your pitcher every inning so as to have the nine work 
according to his pitching. In fact, the pitcher should 
be allowed to place his men if he have any special 
object in view, or desires to play any particular points. 
It is in paying particular attention to the strategical 
points of a game that victories are achieved, and not 
in depending solely on the strength of your nine 
either at the bat or in the field. 



THE ART OP BASE RUNNING. 



THE CAPTAIN OF A NINE. 



73 



One of the rules governing the selection of an um- 
pire applies with equal force to the choice of a cap- 
tain of a nine, viz: That it does not follow that- because 
a man is a first-class player — the best in the nine per- 
haps, he is, therefore, the man to act as captain of the 
nine. We know of many an excellent player totally 
unfitted for the onerous position of a captain of a 
nine. In the selection of a captain two classes of 
players are to be avoided ; the one including those of 
quick temper, without self-control, dictatorial in their 
manner, imperious in commanding and too fond of 
having this or that done simply because it is their de- 
sire that it should be so. The other class are those 
easily infiue.nced, of no determination of character, 
afraid of censure and too desirous of pleasing their 
friends in the course they pursue, at the cost of the 
best interests of the nine they have in charge, or of 
the club they belong to. 

GETTING A TEAM TOGETHER. 

To get a nine into good working condition is a 
task requiring patience, perseverance, good humor, 
sound judgment and the determined spirit wiiich over- 
comes all ordinary obstacles. In getting your nine 
together for the season, first get your pitcher, and if 
you have any choice left you should always select the 
man having the most command at the ball in delivery. 
Never mind what his speed or twist is so long as he 



74 THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 

can command the ball so as to deliver it within a few 
inches of the spot aimed at. Having this command 
he is good enough to be the pitcher of a good sup- 
porting field; without it he is but a second-class man 
in the position, even if he be the swiftest pitcher in 
the country. Next look for a good catcher, and one 
who is not afraid of a ball, and who can throw 
straight and keep his temper. Of all places in the 
field the catcher's position is the last for a quick tem- 
pered man. In fact, such a man has no place in a ball 
field at all, but least of all behind the bat. In choosing 
your basemen let the man on the first base be fearless 
and sure in holding the hottest kind of thrown balls, and 
the man on third base equally fearless in facing swiftly 
batted balls, and also capable of throwing swiftly and 
accurately to first base, and let the second baseman 
be the most active of the three and a good judge of a 
catch. In selecting your short stop let him be an ac- 
curate thrower to begin with, but especially should he 
be noted for his activity in backing up every player 
in the infield as occasion may require. The short stop 
should always be on the move and on the look out, 
first behind third base, then running home to help the 
catcher, anon playing second base and even running 
out to long field for a high ball. See that your out- 
fielders are good at long throws and sure in judg- 
ing and in catching fly balls, besides being active in 
supporting each other. It shows either poor manage- 
ment or a poor player to see any man of the nine 
standing still in his position while the ball is on the 
move, either in the air or along the ground. 



THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 



BATTERY TEAMS. 



75 



More and more each season is the fact becoming 
evident that pitchers and catchers must learn to play 
in pairs if it be desired to develop the full strength of 
the attacking force. It was by their perfect work- 
ing together as a pair that White and Spalding did 
such valuable service as the champion players in their 
position for five successive years, four years in the 
Boston champion team and one year in the Chicao-o 
nine. We were glad to see that pitchers played with 
more care last season in throwing to bases to catch 
base runners napping, than ever before. This custom 
is more to be honored in the breach than in the ob- 
servance. More bases are given through errors re- 
sulting from this throwing to bases by pitchers in one 
game than there are players put out by it in a dozen 
matches. The improvement in batting each season 
requires a more rapid delivery from a pitcher than 
hitherto. We do not mean in regard to his pace in 
delivery, but his being quick in his movements in 
delivering the ball. The object of this and prompt 
return of the ball from the catcher — is to keep the 
batsman so closely confined to his work as to make 
]>im nervous about striking. A slow style of move- 
ment In sending in the ball gives the batsman time to 
collect his wits about him and to judge the ball; a 
quicker delivery has the reverse effect. Many a bats- 
man, of the heavy hitting order especially, has been 
sent to grief in being called out on strikes, owing to 



76 THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 

the way the pitcher has bothered him by his quick and 
accurate delivery of the ball over the base. 

CATCHING BASE RUNNERS NAPPING. 

Throwing to first base from pitcher's position has 
become less frequent than it used to be. In fact, the 
success of this point of play is exceptional, errors 
giving unearned bases being the most frequent re- 
sult. If a pitcher excels in the accuracy of his throw- 
ing to a base it is well enough; but if he does not the 
risk of failure is too great to indulge in it. The av- 
erage loss from bases given by errors from throws to 
first base by pitchers exceeds the gain in outs by at 
least three to one. Taking low bounding balls from 
quick low throws has become a necessary adjunct of 
first-class first base playing, and when these follow 
the fielding of hard-hit grounders to any infielder a 
failure of the first-baseman to hold them — except in 
rare instances — becomes an error of his rather than 
that of the infielder, from the poor throw. When 
the fielder, however, has time to throw the ball in 
straight, and then sends in a bounding ball, the first 
base player is of course relieved from the responsibil- 
ity of an error if he fails to hold the ball. The result 
of Start's style of base play has been his taking the 
lead in the position in the average of accepted 
chances. 



THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 77 

OVER-RUNNING BASES. 

The rule allowing the first base to be over-run was 
adopted in 1870, and it has become a permanent law 
of the game. The proposition now is to apply the 
same rule to the other bases, and there is everything 
to favor it. In the first place, there is no doubt that 
allowing all the bases to be over run will save many a 
sprained ankle and injured limb, while in no respect 
does it take from the interest of the game or lessen 
the skill required in base play. There is not the least 
merit in putting out a player who has over-run second 
or third base, the skill of the baseman alone being 
shown in putting him out before he touches the base. 
In applying the rule to all the bases, it will be best to 
require the player over-running second and third, if 
not the first, to return and retouch the over-run base. 
If the rule be not the same for all bases, the umpire will 
find it difficult to decide points on second and third 
bases, which would not be the case if the base runner 
were required to return and retouch the base. Of 
course no base is over-run in the case of a home-run, 
nor is the first or second base over-run on a three-base 
hit. 

BASEMEN TEAMS. 

Somehow or other the majority of club managers 
cannot be brought to realize the importance of form- 
ing their basemen teams of men who can play well 
together. They seem to think that, if they can get 
hold of first-class individual players for each of the 



yS THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 

three base positions, that is all that is necessary. 
Moreover, they entertain the erroneous idea too fre- 
quently that, because a man can play the third base 
in first-class style, he can surely fill either that of sec- 
ond or first base equally well. It is, of course, gen- 
erally conceded that a j^layer may excel at first base 
who could not play as well at second or thu'd. But 
it is not so generally understood that the rule applies 
almost similarly, in many respects, in regard to a 
third baseman's playing at first base. The fact is, 
every season's play sees each separate position be- 
coming more distinct in the peculiar points of play 
required, while each position more and more needs 
home-players to fill them properly. At first base the 
feature of the work to be done there is to stop badly 
thrown balls, and to hold swiftly thrown balls. At 
second base, it is to cover a great deal of infield 
ground, to be active in putting the ball on runners in 
playing for doubles, and to be well up in strategic 
points. At third it is to look out for high-twisting 
fouls, and to attend to the hardest hit balls, and make 
the longest and quickest throws — In fact, to play 
third base well is to do the hardest of the infield 
work. But what each season's experience in base- 
playing shows plainly is the im23ortance of having 
the three basemen work as a team. This has only 
begun to be seen as an important essential in success- 
ful base play as a nine. A team of three base play- 
ers who have been working together in their posi- 
tions for two or three seasons, and who are not only 



THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 79 

familiar with one another's strong and weak points 
but who work together with combined and harmoni- 
ous effort, are far more effective than three players 
who are individually superior players, but who have 
not worked together a single season as a team. Last 
season instance after instance occurred in which men 
were substituted as players in a basemen team for 
those who had become familiar with their brother 
basemen's play, only because the new men were con- 
sidered as superior players individually to those they 
replaced. The result of such change was of necessity 
demoralizing on the play of the others as a team. 
Then, too, men were changed from one base to an- 
other, as if it were an understood thing that a good 
base player at third or second or first could be trans- 
ferred to the opposite base without any depreciation 
in the quality of the play he would exhibit in his new 
position. Another mistake made last season in the 
make-up of base teams was that of j^lacing left- 
handed men on any base but the first. A left-handed 
first baseman finds the hand he can use with the 
greatest facility ready to pick up balls which come on 
foul ground to the left of him ; while, on the other 
hand, the third baseman finds his right hand most 
available to cover a similar class of balls at his right. 
At third or second base a left-hand player is unques- 
tionably out of position, as he is also at short-stop, 
though not to so great an extent. Good basemen 
team work develops remarkable promptitude in 
doubling up runners, and in preventing runners from 



So THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 

getting ill from third on the slow running of phiyers 
from first to second to let other runners in. Base 
players who do not back up one another well, and 
who do not play as a team, rarely succeed in doubling 
up, or in playing any other strong infield ^^oint. In 
making up a basemen team, while you try to get a 
Joe Start for first base, a Farrell for second, and a 
Williamson for third, above all see to it that the men 
are such in character and disposition as to enable them 
to work in harmony together, or half the value of 
their individual skill as players will be lost. 

FAULT FINDING. 

An element of weakness, in a majority of nines, 
prevails in the form of "chin-music" and Ill-natured 
"chaffing," in which base-players pretty generally 
take part. Joking is all very well in Its way when 
it is indulged In good-naturedly, but when the so-called 
jokes are characterized by sarcastic allusions to a com- 
panion's weaknesses, or by irritating comments on 
your adversary's style of play, it becomes an evil 
which club-inanagers should suppress. In some nines 
of the professional arena one base player will not 
speak to another, w^hile a third will comment ill- 
naturedly on every J^lay made, good, bad, or indif- 
ferent. Indeed, a spirit of fault-finding prevails more 
or less In every nine, and it has a very damaging ef- 
fect on the general play of the nine in which it is 
permitted. While we would not care to see a nine 
play like a party of men devoid of speech, there is a 



THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 8l 

value in the rule of silence as far as "chaffing" or 
"chin-music," as it is called, is concerned, which 
should make it very generally enforced in the profes- 
sional arena. Where too much talk is permitted 
there is sure to be bad play. Every player in a pro- 
fessional nine, and especially base players, should play 
his game quietly^ to play it up to the best mark. The 
game needs all a man's wits in full force, and any 
talk, and especially anything in the way of fiiult- 
findiag or ill-natured criticism, so bothers a player as 
to frequently lead him into errors of play he would 
not otherwise have committed. One of the hardest 
workers and most effective players of a certain team 
weakens his play, and that of his companions by his 
habit of indulging in " chin-music," and fault-finding 
to an extent he little dreams of. In another well- 
known team this ill-natured talk largely prevails. In 
another nameless team at one time scarcely a man 
could speak in a friendly way to any other, and all 
this originally came from the detestable habit of 
"chaffing" — that is, teasing one another about their 
errors or mistakes of play. This has always been a 
weak spot in some nines, and it has grown to be a 
rule, and a point of play to make, to " get a nine 
growling together and you're sure to win." 

" Silence on the field " should be a standard rule of 
professional clubs, specially applicable to the class of 
players prone to indulge in ill-natured remarks on the 
play of their companions or adversaries. Just so long 
as this "chaffing" or "chin-music" is permitted in a 



82 • THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 

match, just so long will the nine fail to play up to the 
mark they would otherwise reach. 

INTERFERING WITH MANAGERS. 

A subject worthy of comment connected with pro- 
fessional club management is that of the interference 
of club directors or officials with the field duties of 
the appointed captain or manager. In this matter is 
involved a very important issue concerning the suc- 
cess or failure of a manager's field-work during a sea- 
son's play. For instance, a club engages a well- 
known and capable professional player to act, not 
only as captain of the men on the field, but as the 
manager of the team. For the proper discharge of 
the duties of these important positions he is held to a 
due responsibility. Of course, in common justice to 
the player, with this responsibility there should be 
the full power to carry out his season's programme 
in regard to the selection of his team, his placing 
them in position, and to their being held amenable 
to his authority, and his only, in order to insure proper 
discipline and good training habits. But just here 
steps in the club official, whose influence is paramount 
in the club he is connected with as president, direc- 
tor or as occupant of some other official position, who 
soon manifests a propensity to be the "boss" of the 
organization, alike over his brother officers and the 
club manager. The result of this is an interference 
with the plans and views of the club manager, and 
even the assumption of the duties of field captain by 



THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 83 

the "boss" in question; and with a club thus divided 
against itself the result is a sad fall. This boss system 
was carried out in several prominent clubs of the 
season of 18S5, in both the League and American 
teams. 

The worst of it is that the manager thus "bossed" 
over has to bear all the blame of the club's failure, 
when it was the boss' work that did all the mischief. 
Either a club manager is competent to fulfill the 
duties of his position, or not. If he is, give him the 
power to carry out his plans. If he is not, don't en- 
gage him; or if he is found to be a failure, dismiss 
him at once; but don't hold him responsible for the 
bad work of a team he has no power to properly 
control, or to discipline up to a high working stand- 
ard. 



8| THE BASE RUNNING RULES. 



THE BASE RUNNING RULES. 



Rule 52. The Batsman becomes a Base Runner, 
(i) Instantly after he makes a Fair Hit. 
(3) Instantly after six Balls have been called by 
the Umpire. 

(3) Instantly after three Strikes have been de- 
clared by the Umpire. 

(4) Instantly after two " Foul Balks " have been 
declared by the Umpire. 

Rule 53. The Base Runner must touch each 
Base in regular order ^ viz : First, Second, Third and 
Home Bases, and when obliged to return, must do so 
on the run, and must retouch the base or bases in 
reverse order. He shall only be considered as holding 
a base after touching it, and shall then be entitled to 
hold such base until he has legally touched the next 
base in order; or has been legally forced to vacate it 
for a succeeding Base Runner. 

Rule ^4. The Base Runner shall be entitled^ 
without being ^ut out^ to take ofie Base^ provided he 
do so on the run^ in the following cases : 

(i) If, while he was Batsman, the Umpire 
called six Balls, 



THE BASE RUNNING RULES. g;- 

(2) If the Umpire awards a succeeding Batsman 
a base on six Balls and the Base Runner is thereby 
forced to vacate the base held by him. 

(3) If the Umpire calls a Balk. 

(4) If the Umpire calls two « Foul Balks." 

(5) If a ball delivered by the Pitcher pass the 
Catcher and touch any fence or building within 
ninety feet of the Home Base. 

(6) If he be prevented from making a base by 
the obstruction of an adversary. 

(7) If a Fielder stop or catch a batted ball with 
his hat or any part of his dress. 

^ULE 55. The Base Runner shall return to his 
Base, and shall be entitled to so return without be- 
ing put out, provided he does so on the run. 

( I ) If the Umpire declares a Foul Hit, and the 
ball be not legally caught by a Fielder. 

(2) If the Umpire declares a Foul Strike. 

( 3 ) If the Umpire declares a Dead Ball, unless 
it be also the sixth Unfair Ball, and he be thereby 
forced to take the next base, as provided in Rule 54 
(2). 

Rule 5<5. The Base Runner shall not have a 
substitute run for him. 

Rule 57. The Base Ru7tner is out : 
(i) If, after three strikes have been declared 
against him while Batsman, and the Catcher fails to 
catch the third-strike ball, he plainly attempts to 
hinder the Catcher from fielding the ball. 



86 THE BASE RUNNING RULES. 

(3) If, having made a Fair Hit while Batsman, 
such fair hit ball be momentarily held by a Fielder, be- 
fore touching the ground or any object other than a 
Fielder: Provided, It be not caught in a Fielder's 
hat or cap. 

(3) If, when the Umpire has declared three 
Strikes on him while Batsman, the third-strike ball 
be momentarily held by a Fielder before touching 
the ground: Provided^ It be not caught in a 
Fielder's hat or cap, or touch some other object than 
a Fielder before being caught. 

(4) If, after three Strikes or a Fair Hit, he 
be touched with the ball in the hand of a Fielder be- 
fore such Base Runner touches First Base. 

(5) If, after three Strikes or a Fair Hit the ball 
be securely held by a Fielder, while touching First 
Base with any part of his person, before such Base 
Runner touches First Base. 

(6) If, in running the last half of the distance from 
Home Base to First Base, he runs outside the Three 
Feet Lines, as defined in Rule 11, except that he 
must do so if necessary to avoid a Fielder attempting 
to field a batted ball, and in such case shall not be 
declared out. 

(7) If, in running from First to Second Base, 
from Second to Third Base, or from Third to Home 
Base, he runs more than three feet from a direct line 
between such bases to avoid being touched by the ball 
in the hands of a Fielder; but in case a Fielder be occu- 
pying the Base Runner's proper path, attempting to 



THE BASE RUNNING RULES. 87 

field a batted ball, then the Base Runner shall run out 
of the path and behind said Fielder, and shall not 
be declared out for so doing. 

(8) If he fails to avoid a Fielder attempting to 
field a batted ball, in the manner prescribed in (6) and 
(7) of this Rule, or if he, in any way, obstructs 
a Fielder attempting to field a batted ball: Pro- 
vided^ That if two or more Fielders attempt to field 
a batted ball, and the Base Runner comes in contact 
with one or more of them, the Umpire shall deter- 
mine which Fielder is entitled to the benefit of this 
Rule, and shall not decide the Base Runner out for 
coming in contact with any other Fielder. 

(9) If, at any time while the ball is in play, he be 
touched by the ball in the hands of a Fielder, unless 
some part of his person is touching a base he is 
entitled to occupy, provided the ball be held by 
the Fielder after touching him; bid (^exception as to 
First Base ), in running to First Base, h.e may over- 
run said base without being put out for being oflf 
said base, after first touching it, provided he returns 
at once and retouches the base, after which he may be 
put out as at any other base. If, in overrunning First 
Base, he also attempts to run to Second Base, 
he shall forfeit snch exemption from being put out. 

(10) If, when a Fair or Foul Hit ball is legally 
caught by a Fielder, such ball is legally held 
by a Fielder on the base occupied by the Base 
Runner when such ball was struck (or the Base 
Runner be touched with the ball in the hands of a 



88 THE BASE RUNNING RULES. 

Fielder), before he retouches said base after such Fair 
or Foul Hit ball was so caught. Provided^ That 
the Base Runner shall not be out in such case, if, 
after the ball was legally caught as above, it be 
delivered to the bat by the Pitcher before the Fielder 
holds it on said base, or touches the Base Runner 
with it. 

(ii) If, when a Batsman becomes a Base Runner 
except as provided i?z Rule S4)i the First Base, or 
the First and Second Bases, or the First, Second and 
Third Bases, be occupied, any Base Runner so occu- 
pying a Base shall cease to be entitled to hold it, until 
any following Base Runner is put out, and may be 
put out at the next base or b}' being touched by the 
ball in the hands of a Fielder in the same manner as 
in running to First Base, at any time before any fol- 
lowing Base Runner is j^ut out. 

(12) If a Fair Hit ball strike him, he shall be 
declared out, and in such case no base shall be run 
unless forced, and no run be scored. 

(13) If when running to a base or forced to re- 
turn to a base, he fail to touch the intervening base 
or bases, if any, in the order prescribed in Rule 53, 
he may be put out at the base he fails to touch, or bv 
being touched by the ball in the hand of a Fielder, 
in the same manner as in running to First Base. 
Provided, That he shall not be declared out unless 
the Captain of the fielding side claim such decision 
before the ball is delivered to the bat by the Pitcher. 

(14) If, when the Umpire calls "Play" after any 



THE BASE RUNNING RULES. 89 

suspension of a game, he fails to return to and touch 
the base he occupied when "Time" was called before 
touching the next base. 

Rule 58. The Umpi7'e shall declare the Bats- 
ma7z or Base Runner oiit^ withozit waiting for an ap- 
peal for such decision^ in all cases where such player 
is put out in accordance with these rules, except^ as 
provided in Rule 57, (10), (13) and (14). 

Rule ^g. In case of a Foul Strike^ Foul Hit 
not legally caught flyings Dead Ball, or Base Run- 
7ter put out for being struck by a fair hit ball., the 
ball shall not be considered in play until it is held by 
the Pitcher standing in his position. 

Rule 60. Wheiiever a Block occurs., the Umpn*e 
shall declare it, and Base Runners may run the bases 
without being put out, until after the ball has been 
returned to and held by the Pitcher standing in his 
position. 

Rule 61. One Rztn shall be scored every time a 
Base Runner, after having legally touched the first 
three bases, shall touch the Home Base before three 
men are put out. If the third man is forced out, or 
is put out before reaching First Base a run shall not 
be scored. 




hmm SpDffFs 



ATHLETIC SERIES.— The aim of the various manuals or hand books consti- 
tuting- our Athletic Series will be to educate the readers in each particular game or 
sport in which they may be interested. A long- experience in sporting m-atters 
induces a belief that thorough descriptions, accompanied by the necessary illus- 
trations, will enable those who, by force of circumstances are deprived of the op- 
portunity of obtainmg practical instruction or accurate knowledge, to become pro- 
ficient without such instruction. 

Each. 
No. 1. SPALDING'S OFFICIAIi BASE BALL GUIDE.- The standard 
authority on Base Ball, and only complete IJase Ball Guide pul)- 
lished. 'Contains official playing- rules, and records of all cham- 
pionship games, the champio-iship records of the Northwestern 
League, East rn League, Union Association and College Associa- 
tion .. $ lo 

No. 2. SPALDING'S OFFICIAL LEAGUE BOOK.— Containing the only 
olhcial averages and League matter, as furnished by the Secretary 

of National League lo 

No. 3. SPALDING'S ILLUSTRATED HAND BOOK OF PITCHING 
AND FIELDING. — A work containing- instructive chapters on all 
the latest. iK)ints of playing in Base Bafl Filching, including curve 
pitching, special delivery, strategy, head work, speed, throwing-, 
balking, etc., with new rules f )r pitching and fielding, and catch- 
ing the ball 25 

No. 4. SPALDING'S ILLUSTRATED HAND BOOK OF BATTING 
AND BASE RUNNING.— Containmg special chapters and illus- 
trations on scienliflc batting, position, placing the b;ill, sacrifice 
hitting, home run-, l^ase hits, new batting rules, the art of running 

the bases, etc. The only Ixiok of thekind published 25 

No. 7. SPALDING'S ILLUSTRATED FOOT BALL KULBS AND 
REFEREES' BOOK. —Authorized and adopted by the American 

Inter-colle>iiatc Association 10 

No. 8. SPALDING'S LAWN TENNIS MANUAL.— (Illustrated ) Con- 
taining full instructions in the popular game of Lawn Tennis. 
Illustrated articles for beginners, and the new rules of the National 

Lawn Tennis Association , 10 

No. 9. SPALDING'S MANUAL OF ROLLER SKATING.— Containing 
over fifty illustrations, showing each movement, and has more in- 
formation on the snbject than all other books combined, including 
a list of 200 combination figures, rink rules, progi-amme for skating 

contest-^, Polo rules, etc 25 

No. 10. SPALDING'S OFFICIAL CROQUET MANUAL.— Containing a 
history of the L^aine, with full instructions for proper and scientific 
use of the ball and mallet, as practiced by skilled players; also the 
"Ameriian lluks of i-oose and Tight Croquet,'' as adopted by the 

National Croquet Congress. Fully illustrated 10 

No, 11. SPALDING'S MANCTAL OF BOXING, INDIAN CLUB SWING- 
ING, AND MANLY SPORTS.— The most practical instruction 
book ever iiublishcd; contains over 250 illustrations on Boxing, 
Wrestling, Fencing, Club Swinging, Dumb Bell and Gymnastic 

Exercises, Athletic Sports, Swimming, etc 25 

No. 13. SPALDING'S HAND BOOK OF SPORTING RULES AND 
TRAINING,— We have collected together the rules of all sports 
practiced in the civilized portions of the world which are published, 

together with articles on the various methods of training 25 

No. 14. PRACTICAL GYMNASTICS WITHOUT A TEACHER. — For 
the school -room, the plav ground, ;in 1 the individual. Prof. War- 
man, the author, has been emmently successful m all parts of the 
country in teaching his most valuable of all systems of physical 
training for the symmetrical develop nent of the body. This little 

manual is the result of his years of experience 50 

108 Madison St., CHICAGO. 
841 Broadway, NEW YORK. 



A. G. SPALDING & BROS., | 




Spalarns'S Trade-Marked Catcher's Mask. 

I'he fii-st Catcher's Mask 
brouglit out in 1875, was a 
very heavy, clumsy affair, and 
it was not until we invented 
our open-eyed mask in 1877 
that it came into general use. 
Now it would be considered 
unsafe and even dangerous for 
W''IIIIIIJM a catcher to face the swift un- 
„, .. /J)}M&^m^ derhand throwing of the pres- 
'm '^^^m^w ^"^ ^^y unless protected by a 
I'll s/lmaSF reliable mask. The increased 

demand for these goods has 
brought manufacturers into 
the field who, having no repu- 
I . tation to sustain, have vied 

/ j with each other to see how 

cheap they could make a so- 
called mask, and in consequence have ignored the essential 
qualification, strength. A cheaply made, inferior quality of 
mask is much w^orse than no protection at all. for a broken 
wire or one that will not stand the force of the ball without 
caving in, is liable to disfigure a player for life. We would 
warn catchers not to trust their faces behind one of these cheap 
made masks. Our trade-marked masks are made of the very 
best hard wire, plated to prevent rusting, and well trimmed, 
and every one is a thorough face protector. We shall make 
them in three grades as described below, and with our increased 
facilities for manufacturing, are enabled to improve the quality, 
and at the same time reduce the price. 

Beware of counterfeits. None genuine without our Trade 
Mark statnpcd on each Mask. 

IJo. 00— Spalding's Special Ijeague Mask, used by all the leading- 
professional catchers, extra heavy wii e, well padded with g'oat 
kair, and the padding- faced with the best imported dogskin, 
which is impervious to perspiration, and retains its pliability and 

softness Each $3 00 

" O, — Spalding's Regulation League Mask, made of heavy wire, 
well padded, and faced with horsehide, warranted first-class in 

every respect Each.. 250 

" 1.— Spalding's Boys' League Mask, made of heavy wire, equal- 
ly as heavy in proportion to size as the No. 00 mask. It is made to 
fit a boy's face, and gives the saine protection as the League 
Mask Each 2 00 

CHEAP MASKS. 

To meet the demand for good masks at a low price, we have manufact- 
ured a line of cheap masks, which are superior to any masks in the market 
at the same price. We do not guarantee these masks, and believe that our 
Trade Marked Masks are worth more than the difference in price. 
No. A. Amateur Mask, made the same size and general style as the 
League Mask, but with lighter wire, and faced with leather (we 
g-uarantee this Mask to be superior to so-called League or profes- 
sional masks sold by other manufacturers) $1 50 

" B. Boys' Mask, similar to the Amateur Mask, only made small- 
er to fit a boy's face Each i 25 

Hl^^Any of the above masks m; 41ed postpaid on receipt of price. 




SPALDING'S TRADE MARKED CATCHERS* 
GLOVES. 

After considerable ex- 
pense and many experi- 
ments, we have finally 
perfected a Catcher s' 
Glove that meets with 
g^eneral favor from pro- 
fessional catchers. 

The old style of open 
backed gloves introduced 
by lis several years ago is 
still adhered to, but the 
quality of material and 
workmanship has been 
materially improved, un- 
til now we are justified in 
claiming the best line of 
catchers's gloves in the 
market. These Gloves do 
not interfere with throw- 
ing, can be easily put on 
and taken off, and no plaver subject to sore hands should be without a pair. 
We make them in ten different grades, as follows: 
No. 000— Spalding's Special League Catchers' Gloves. Full left 
hand, back stop glove, male of the heaviest Indian- 
tanned Inickskm, the very best that can be procured. 
The full left hand glove is extra padded, and sole leath- 
er finger tips, to prevent the low curved balls irom 
breaking or otherwise injuring the fingers. The right 
hand glove is made with open back and fingerless, thor- 
oughly padded Price per Pair, 

No. CO.— Spalding^'s League Regvilation Catchers' Gloves, 
made of extra heavy Indian-tanned buck, and carefully 
selected with reference to the hard service required of 
them. This Glove has full left hand, as shown in the 
illustration, with fingerless right hand, well padded, 

and warranted Price per Pair, 

-Spalding's League Catchers' Gloves, made of extra 
heavy Indian-tanned buck, and carefully selected with 
special reference to the hard service required of them, 
open back, both hands fingerless, well padded, and 

fully warranted " Price per Pair, 

—Spalding's Professional Gloves, made of Indian-tanned 
buckskin, open back, well padded, but not quite as 

heavy material as the No. o Price per Pair 200 

The above Gloves are Trade Marked and fully warranted. 

AMATEUR CATCHERS' GLOVES. 

To meet the demand for a cheaper grade of Gloves, we have added the 

following line: 

No. A. — Full Left Hand Catchers* Gloves, equal to most profes 
sional gloves in the market Price per Pair 

No. B. — Amateur Gloves, made of buckskin, open back, well pad- 
ded, and adapted for amateur players Per Pair 

No. C. — Practice Gloves, made of light material, open back, well 
padded Per Pair 

No. D.— Junior Gloves, open back, a good glove at the price *' 

No. E.— Cheap open back glove " 

No. F — " " " " " 

j^^Any of the above Gloves mailed postpaid on receipt of price 

ordering, please give size of ordinary dress gloves usually worn. 

A. G. SPALDING & BROS., 

108 Madison St., CHICAGO. 241 Broadway, NEW YOBK 






No. 



No. 



15 00 



3 SO 



2 50 



$2 50 
I SO 

I 00 
75 
50 

25 

In 



Gray's Patent Body Protector, 

The most useful device ever in- 
vented for the protection of catchers 
or umpires, and renders it impossi- 
ble for the catcher to be injured 
while playing close to the batter. 
Made very light and pliable, and 
does not interfere in any way with 
the movements of the wearer, either 
in 'running, stooping or throwing. 
No catcher should be without one of 
these protectors, 

p^-ice .each, $10.00. 

MORTON'S 

Patent Sliding Pad. 

A NECESSITY TO BALL PLAYERS. 

The Sliding Pad protects the side 
and hip of the player when under- 
taking to slide for a base. 

Its use increases a player's con- 
fidence, and renders the act of 
sliding free from danger. 

It is worn and recommended by 
all leading professional ball play- 
,„„ ,. ers. 
'/// / No. o. Chamois lined, price 

' // each bv mail $2 50 

,1, / No. I. AH Canvas, price 

each by mail i 5° 

a:E3Ti.M:oi:sri.A.ijS- 

player should have them." • J- (-j^j(,jjg.o b. B. C. 

^'I have examined Morton's Sliding ''^''' ^^^^1^^^^ '" 
our team." ^^^^_ g^ L^^is Browns B. B. C. 

A. G. SPALDING & BROS., ^^^„__ 

108 Madison St., CHICAGO. »41 Broadway, NEW YORK, 




SPALDING'S SCORE BOOK. 

Spalding^'s new design Pocket and Club Score Book continues to be the 
popular score book, and is used by all the leading- scorers and base ball 
reporters. They are adapted for the spectator of ball games, who scores 
ior his own amusement, as well as the official club scorer, who records the 
minutest detail. By this new system, the art of scoring can be acquired in 
a single game. , 

Full instructions, with the latest League rules, accompany each book. 



WHAT AUTHORITIES SAY OF IT. 

Messrs. A. G. Spalding & Bros., Chicago, 111. 

Gentlemen' — I have carefully examined the Spalding Score Book, and, 
without any hesitation, I cheerfully recommend it as the most complete 
system of scoring of which I have any knowledge. 

Respectfully, 
N. E. YOUNG, Official Scorer Nat'l League P. B. B. Clubs. 



The new system of score books just issued by A. G. Spalding & Uros. of 
Chicago, are the neatest thing of the kind we ever saw. Every lov; r of tlie 
game should have one. They are simple in their construction, and are easily 
understood.— Ctfichinaii Engui'rer. 

The Tribune has received from A. G. Spalding & Bros., loS Madison 
Street, a copy of their new score book for use this year. The book or system 
is feo far in advance of anything ever before brought out in the way of sim- 
plicity, convenience and accuracy, that it seems wonderful that it was not 
thought of years ago. The new style will be in universal use before the 
season is half through. — Chicago Tribune. 

A. G. Spalding, Captain of the Chicago White Stockings, has just brought 
out a new score book, which will meet with the unqualified indorsement of 
everybody who has ever undertaken to score a game of base ball. They are 
of various sizes, to meet the requirements both of the spectator who scores 
simply for his own satisfaction, and for official scores of clubs. The novel 
and commending feature of the book is the manner in which each of the 
squares opposite the name of the player is utilized by a division which 
originated with Mr. Spalding. Each of these squares is divided into five 
spaces by a diamond in its center, from the points of which lines extend to 
each of the four sides of the square. Each of these spaces is designed for 
Uie use of the scorer according to marks and signs given in the book. By 
thus dividing the squares into spaces he scores without the liability to make 
mistakes. The League rules of scoring are printed in the book, — N.T. Clipper. 

POCKET. 

EACH. 

No. I. Paper Cover, 7 games $ .10 

No. 2. Board Cover, 22 games 21; 

No. 3. Board Cover, 46 games 50 

Score Cards 05 

CLUB BOOKS. 

No. 4. Large Size, 30 games $1.00 

Vo. 5. Large " 60 games 1.75 

Vo. 6. Large " 90 games 2.50 

No. 7. Large " 120 games 3.00 

Mailed upon receipt of price. 

A. G. SPALDING ^ BROS.« 



108 Madison Street, 241 Broadway, 

CHICAGO. NEW YORK. 



Official LeagiLe Ball 

Spalding's League Ball is now recognized as the standard in every part 
of the wor d where base ball is played. It was first introduced in 1S76, and 
made under specifications designed by A. G, Spalding, whose long con- 
nection with the game had given him a knowledge of the requirements of a 
first-class ball not possessed by any other manufacturer. Every pains was 
taken with its manufacture, and it soon became very popular amongf pro- 
fessional players on account of its uniformity, elasticity and durability, 
which resulted in its being adopted as the official ball of the National 
League in I S7S, and has been readopted every year since by the leading 
associations, including 1SS6. 

The large sale and great demand for this ball has brought out many 
imitators, who would pirate on our trade and reputation by offering an in- 
ferior articlj at a lower pri< c, and endeavor to create the impression that 
these inferior low grade balls are the same, or are equal to Spalding's 
Official League. We would cau'ion ball plaj'ers against infringements, and 
urge them not to be misled by the misrepresentations of dealers whose in- 
cre sed profits on the cheap goods may have something to do with their 
statements. 

Our League Ball can be obtained of any first-class dealer in base ball 
supplies, to whom a liberal trade discount is allowed. 

The following base ball leagues and associations have adopted the 
Spalding League Ball as the official ball of their associations for 1SS6, and 
by their regulations, all championship games played during the season, this 
ball MUST be used: 

THE NATIONAL LEAGUE. 

Composed of the following Clubs: 

Chicago, New V'ork, Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Kansas 
City and Washington. 

THE NE"W ENGLAND LEAGUE. 

Composed of Boston, Haverhill, Newburyport, Lawrence, Portland, and 

Brockton. 

THE EASTERN LEAGUE. 

Composed of Newark, Jersey City, Waterbury, Bridgeport, Hartford, 
Providence and Troy. 

THE INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE. 

Composed of Utica, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton, Oswego, Buf- 
falo, Hamilton and Toronto, Ont. 

THE NOIlTH"WESTERN LEAGUE, 

THE WESTERN LEAGUE, 

THE AMERICAN COLLEGE ASS'N, 
THE NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE ASS'N. 
THE NEW YORK INTER STATE COLLEGE ASS'N. 



We refer with considerable pride to the following Resolution unanimous- 
ly adopted at the recent annual meeting of the American College Associa- 
tion, held at Springfield, Mass., March 12, 1SS6 

'■'■Resolved, that the American College Association in unanimously adopt- 
ing Spalding's League Ball for 1SS6, express their great satisfaction which 
this ball gave the Association last year, aad also cheerfully indorse it as 
the best ball they have ever used." 



SPALDING'S TRADE MARKED BATS. 

Spalding-'s Trade Marked Bats were first introduced in 1S77, ^^^ they 
have gradually grown into popularity, until now they are used almost ex- 
clusively by all prominent professional and amateur players. All the tim- 
ber used in these bats is allowed to season from one to two years before 
being made up, and the resu t is we are enabled to make much lighter and 
stronger bats than where the timber is hastily "kiln-dried,"' as done by 
nearly all manufacturers of cheap goods. Each bat is turned by hand, after 
the most approved and varied models, and if found to answer the require • 
ments as to weight, size, length, etc., the Trade 3fark is stamped on each 
bat to insure its genuineness. The success and popularity of these bats, 
which is due to the very g-reat care that has been taken in their manufact- 
ure, have brought out many cheap imitations, and we would caution the 
trade to see that the Spaldine' Trade Mark is stamped on each bat. 

Each. To 
No. 00.— Spalding's Special Black Band Xicague Bat, made Clubs, 
out of the choicest white selected, second growth ash, on per doz. 
the most apj^roved models, as recommended and used by 
League players. Each bat is carefully weighed, and the 
weight stamped in ounces imder the Trade Mark. Each 
Bat is encased in a strong paper bag, lathe polished, and 
g'uaranteed to be the finest bat made. Having purcnased 
the patent of Wm. Gray, of Hartford, Conn., covering the 
use of a granulated handle, and believing it to have great 
merit in preventing the hand from slipi)ing, we have decid- 
ed to use it on this grade of bats ... $ 75 $S 00 

No. O.— Spalding's Black Band League Bat, made on the 
most approved model, as recommended by ])rominent 
League players. These bats are made from the best se- 
lected ash, lathe polished, weighed and stamped, each bat 

encased in a strong paper bag 50 5 50 

No. 1.— Spalding's Trade Marked Ash Bat, made on three 
different models, finished with two coats of the besc orange 
shellac, and lathe polished, 35 to 38 inches. Each bat 
weighed and stamped with weight in ounces under the 

Trade Mark 40 4 00 

No. 2.— Spalding's Trade Marked Cherry Bat, made on three 
different models, finished with two coats of the best orange 
shellac, and lathe polished, 35 to 3S inches. Each bat 
weighed and stamped with weight in ounces under the Trade 

Mark 40 400 

No. 3.— Spalding's Trade Marked Basswood Bats, light 
weiirht, clear, white selected timber, lathe polished, 36 to 
^9 inches. Each bat weighed and stamped with weight in 

ounces under the Trade Mark 30 3 50 

No. 4.— Spalding's Trade Marked "Willo-w Bat, lip;ht weight, 
large handles, lathe polislied, each bat encased in a strong 
paper bag. The best light wood bat made, 36 to 39 inch. 
Each bat weight d and stamped with weight in ounces 

under the Trade Mark 5° S oo 

No. IB.— Spalding's Trade Marked Boys' Ash Bat, finished 

same as No. i, 30 to 34 inches .. 25 a 50 

No. 3B.— Spalding's Trade Marked Boys' Basswood Bats, fin- 
ished same as No. 3, 30 to 34 inches 25 250 

No. AA.— Spalding's Trade Marked Fancy Ash Bats, finished 
inali^ht mahogany color, with patent granulated handle. 
Very highly polished, put up in strong paper cases. Each 

bat weighed and stamped 75 7 5° 

No. BB.— Spalding's Trade Marked Fancy Basswood Bats. 
finished in a handsome mahogany color. Each bat weighed 
and stamped. Very highly polished, put up in strong 

paper cases 75 7 S'^ 

PLAIN FINISHED BATS. Each. Per doz. 

No 6.— Men's Ash, Plain finish, ass'd length, 36 to 39 in. $ 25 $1 50 

.. ■7,— " Basswood, " " " " 36 to 39 in. 20 150 

.i 8.-T5oys' Ash, " " " " 28 to 32 m. 15 100 

«' 0- " Basswood, " " " " 28 to 32 in. 15 i OO 



CHICAGO STORE. 



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241 Broadway, New York, 



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